Erosion by the River Padma has taken a serious turn in Faridpur after about 50 metres of the town protection embankment near Dholar intersection collapsed yesterday. District Water Development sources said the town protection embankment built with  Cement Concrete (CC) blocks suddenly subsided following the rise of water level of the river. The sources said 10-kelometre-long the embankment from Dholar intersection to Signboard on the eastern bank was constructed with CC blocks at an estimated cost of Tk 198 crores. Indiscriminate sand lifting from the river bed by the dredgers, excavators and through other means has caused the collapse.
Some unscrupulous and influential people have been lifting sand under the very nose of the  authorities. Moreover, movement of a large number of trucks loaded with sand has also worsened the situation, sources added.
Chief engineer of the district Water Development Board Shafiqul Azam said the repair and protection work have already started.