Severe Jamuna erosion puts homes, schools at risk

The rising water levels of the Jamuna River have led to extensive erosion in Alokdia Char  of Shibaloy Upazila, Manikganj, displacing hundreds of families and threatening numerous structures, including schools.

Over the past few days, the erosion has swallowed hundreds of bighas of agricultural land, residential homes, and important structures. The Mujib Fort, built at a cost of approximately Tk 60 crore, along with five government primary schools and one secondary school, are now at high risk due to the encroaching river.

Residents of Alokdia Char  are in a state of panic, dismantling their homes and relocating to safer areas. The erosion has already claimed half a kilometer of the char in just ten days, with the sandy-loam soil offering little resistance to the river's force.

The Tengurhata Government Primary School, located just 300 yards from the riverbank, is in imminent danger of collapse, along with other schools in the vicinity such as Char Madhyanagar Government Primary School, Kanadia Government Primary School, Trishundi Government Primary School, and Raghunathpur Government Primary School.

Navin Sheikh, a resident of Alokdia Char , reported that the situation is dire, with significant erosion occurring daily. He expressed concern that despite development projects elsewhere, no effective measures have been taken to prevent erosion in the char areas.

Md. Main Uddin, the executive engineer of WDB, stated, "The erosion area of Alokdia Char , surrounded by the Jamuna River, has been inspected. This char is affected by erosion every year, and this year the severity is much greater, extending about three to four kilometers. It is not possible to prevent erosion with geo-bags. There are no projects to protect the char. The district and upazila administrations have been informed to quickly relocate the Mujib Fort and other government structures."

Humayun Kabir, the head teacher of Char Madhyanagar Rustam Alokdia Char  Model High School, said that the char area has been shrinking each year due to erosion. The school has been affected by erosion three times so far. Currently, classes are being held temporarily in the Mujib Fort, which is also at risk of collapsing.

Shahadat Hossain, a teacher at Tengurhata Government Primary School, mentioned that due to erosion, residents around the school have moved elsewhere, leading to a decrease in the number of students, now totaling 130.

Shibaloy Upazila Executive Officer Md. Belal Hossain said, "The issue of erosion has been reported to higher authorities. Preventing erosion in such a vast char is very challenging. Currently, we are arranging relief assistance for those who have become homeless. Additionally, the decision has been made to relocate the Mujib Fort, which is at risk of erosion. The process of auctioning off the building has already begun."

Manikganj Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rehana Akhtar said, "Several educational institutions and homes in Alokdia Char  are at risk of erosion. Since the Water Development Board will not undertake any projects to prevent erosion, the process of relocating the Mujib Fort has started. The auction process for demolishing it has already begun. Preparations are also underway to relocate the families taking shelter there."
The situation in Alokdia Char  is a stark reminder of the challenges posed by natural disasters in Bangladesh, with the local community and authorities working to mitigate the impact of the erosion.