Emerging Meghna chars in Lakshmipur obstruct water route, affect hilsa economy

Md Palash regularly travels by a water route from the Ilisha area of Bhola to Moju Chowdhury Hat in Lakshmipur via the Meghna River. Approximately five ferries and 10 large launches provide transportation for passengers along this route.

The journey in the route has become less convenient than before, as it now takes around 2.5-3 hours for a launch to cross the distance. Just two years ago, the journey could be completed in only one hour.

"Many chars have emerged in the Meghna River between Lakshmipur and Bhola, causing trouble for launches and ferries that regularly get stuck in the submerged sediment islands. In that case, passengers often have to wait for hours at risk to their lives in the middle of the river," said Md Palash.

Md Ariful Alam, who is the master of Doyel Launch operating on this route, told The Business Standard, "If the launch gets stuck in the chars, we may have to wait an additional 2-3 hours for the tide. Despite the route being approximately 21 km, sometimes we have to travel more than 31 km to avoid the submerged chars."

Moreover, ships traveling from Dhaka to Chattogram have also been unable to use the Meghna River route in Lakshmipur due to the chars. As a result, larger ships now have to travel from Chattogram to Dhaka via Tajumuddi, Daulatkhan, Elisha, and Mehediganj in Bhola, which consumes more time and fuel.

Local people said in addition to obstructing water routes, the numerous chars that have emerged in the Meghna River over the past 5-7 years have become a severe concern, impacting the lives and livelihoods of people in the area.

The decline in the depth of the river due to the emergence of the chars has led to a sharp fall in the number of hilsa fish during the fishing seasons, thereby creating a crisis in the hilsa economy, which provides livelihoods for a large number of people, they said.

On the other hand, due to siltation in the river, from April to October, the water level rises up to the shore even during normal tides, resulting in damage to many roads and the erosion of the river banks.

Fishermen in the Meghna River said a 32 km long and 8 km wide char has emerged from Char Bhairabi to the Matir Hat area of Lakshmipur. Besides, more than 10 chars have emerged in the last 5-7 years in Nasirganj, Patarihat, Ludhua, Balur Char, Alexander Bazar and Ramgati Bazar areas of the river in the district which have already become arable. 

There are also many such visible chars from the Ramgati area to Noakhali's Hatiya area of the river.

Besides, there are also many submerged chars which become visible only during the winter.

Misir Ahmed, fish trader in Motirhat Ghat, said, "We do not get enough hilsas in the Meghna River during the monsoon. The number of fish caught here last winter was also very low."

The decline of hilsa fish in the river due to the newly emerging chars has affected the local economy.

According to the Kamalnagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer's office, no one has taken part in the auction for the lease of markets in Matirhat, Matbarhat and Patarirhat area of Kamalnagar for the next Bengali calendar year.

Mehedi Hasan Liton, member of Char Kalkini union parishad and businessman in Motirhat Bazar, said that buyers and sellers do not come to these markets as there is no hilsa in the river. "As a result, no one participated in the auction. Earlier, these markets used to be leased for Tk5-7 lakh per year."

According to the Laxmipur district fisheries office, there are 42,000 registered fishermen in the district. But since hilsa has not been caught in the river for the last two years, these fishermen have been facing an existential crisis.

Aminul Islam, district fisheries officer in Lakshmipur, said, "Hilsa fishes have changed their route due to the decrease in the navigability of the river caused by the emerging chars. If the situation continues, there will be no hilsa in the river in the coming years."

According to local residents, coastal flooding has been on the rise over the past 4-5 years. 

During the months of June to November, water from the river causes roads, residential homes, and arable lands to be submerged in various parts of the district. In addition, river erosion has become a serious issue in several areas of Ramgati, Kamalnagar, Lakshmipur and Raipur upazilas.

They also said that salinity is also increasing in river water every year which is linked with the changing of the flow of water due to the chars.

Dredging fails to solve the problem

According to the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), the government undertook the dredging of the 25 km area of the Meghna River between Lakshmipur and Bhola in December 2019 at an estimated cost of Tk74 crore to keep the water route navigable.

State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury inaugurated the dredging project in the areas between Char Ramani Mohan and Moju Chowdhury Hat. Although the dredging work was supposed to be completed in December 2022, it has not been done yet.

Atiqur Rahman, master of Kishani Ferry, said, "The dredging has not improved the situation as our ferry still got stuck in submerged chars."

Md Shahidul Islam, assistant director of BIWTA in Bhola River port, told The Business Standard that not only in the Bhola-Lakshmipur channel, the higher authorities have also been informed to conduct dredging work in the entire Meghna River.

Md Anwar Hossain, executive director of Proyas, a non-governmental development organisation, said, "A large number of chars that have emerged in the river will pose a major threat to the country's natural environment, biodiversity, agriculture and food security. Slopes have been formed under the river due to the chars which disturb the flow of water."