The water level of the mighty River Padma has taken a serious turn in Char Bhadrasan upazila of the Faridpur district threatening the river-protection dam while the water level in Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers has continued to rise following the gushing water from the upstream and incessant rains, reports UNB.
In Faridpur, the people of the upazila living beside the dam are passing days in fear of erosion. The river was only 12 meters away from the locality of Dangi village in Sadar upazila, locals said adding that the entire village may go inside the river anytime. Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has spent around Tk 4 crore for the development of the dam by building a concrete road on it.
Moreover, some 26,130 sacks filled with sand were put beside the river bank in the affected areas in three phases, according to BWDB sources. Wasel Uddin Sikdar, a resident of Dangi village, said river erosion has taken a serious turn in last seven days. “It will not be possible to protect the main road of the upazila if necessary measures will not be initiated immediately,” he added. No effective measures were initiated though political leaders of the area had assured the villagers of repairing the road, said Ishak Sheikh, another villager. Char Bhadrasan Sadar Union Parishad Chairman Md Azad Khan said a letter was sent to the higher authority describing the overall situation of the river erosion.
Establishments including school, houses, madrasa and mosque adjoining to the river bank will be disappeared in river very soon if necessary measure to protect the dam would not be taken immediately, the chairman further said. BWDB Engineer Sultan Mahmud said a proposal under the sustainable dam protection project was sent to the concerned authority for saving around 2.5kilometersof road. “The repairing works will be stared soon after the approval of the project,” he added.
Meanwhile in Kurigram, many low-lying and char areas have already been inundated, worsening the overall flood situation in the district. The internal road communication in the upazila was snapped due to flooding in many char areas as well as people of these areas could not go out for works for several days, said villagers.
According to sources at BWDB office in Kurigram, water level of Brahmaputra river was flowing only 1.46 cm below the danger level at Chilmari point while in Noonkhawa point it was flowing just 2 cm below the danger level. Dharla was flowing only 0.99 cm below the danger level at Bridge point while in Teesta the water was flowing 1.6 cm below the danger level yesterday morning.
Besides, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur at places of Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions during next 24 hours. Due to strong monsoon deep convection is continuing over North Bay and adjoining costal area of Bangladesh, said Met office bulletin. Under its influence heavy to very heavy rainfall with gusty or squally wind is likely to occur over during next 24 hours. Due to very heavy rainfall, landslide may occur at places over the hilly regions of Sylhet division, it said.