Photo : TDM
The tranquil waters of the Jamuna River have taken a distressing turn in Dhunat Upazila of Bogura, as its levels continue to decrease, putting the embankment of the crucial right bank protection project at imminent risk of collapse due hitting of relentless river currents.
In a startling event on Monday morning, approximately 100 meters of the embankment along the right bank of the Jamuna River gave way, causing a collapse in the Pukuria-Bhootbari area of the Bhandarbari union within the upazila.
This worrisome development highlights the vulnerability of densely populated areas equipped with flood control dams during the onset of the monsoon season, underscoring the looming threat of severe erosion.
Local sources reveal that the formidable right bank conservation project for the Jamuna River was conceived as a proactive measure against erosion, with funding provided by the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB).
Executed in 2016 at a cost of approximately 22 crore takas, the project aimed to safeguard a 600-meter stretch of the Pukuria-Bhootbari area embankment.
The construction entailed replacing the CC block with a strategically laid geo mat along the riverbank. Despite this meticulous work, the water levels of the Jamuna River have dwindled over the past few days, resulting in the gradual erosion of the embankment as the relentless force of the river current relentlessly strikes.
Local residents express their distress, stating that the embankment constructed using CC blocks is disintegrating and vanishing into the river. The integrity of the entire dam area is in jeopardy as multiple sections of the CC block have been eroded, leaving voids in their wake.
Compounding the crisis, portions of the bank protection dam have sunk into the riverbed, giving rise to substantial cracks. The specter of homes being swallowed by erosion has instilled fear among the riverbank inhabitants. Many complain about the perceived lack of proactive measures to forestall this impending catastrophe.
Belal Hossain Babu, Chairman of the Upazila Bhandarbari Union Parishad (UP), emphasizes the accelerated pace of the Jamuna River's flow as a prime culprit behind the erosion. He warns that the erosion may continue unabated, leading to the eventual disappearance of the entire dam if prompt remediation is not undertaken.
Officials of the BWDB have been implored to take swift and decisive action to mitigate the erosion hazard. Nibaran Chakraborty, Deputy Assistant Engineer of the Bogura District Water
Development Board, indicates that the erosion site has been assessed following the received information. Collaborative discussions with senior officials are ongoing to pinpoint the entirety of the erosion zone. Repairs are intended to be executed by strategically deploying sandbags and reinforced blocks to staunch the erosion's progression.
The serene water of the Jamuna River have taken a distressing turn as its levels continue to decrease. The photo was taken at Dhunat Upazila in Bogura.
TDM/SD
