River erosion at 33 points in Kurigram, hundreds of houses devoured

River erosion has intensified at 33 points along the Teesta, Brahmaputra, Dharla, and Dudhkumar rivers in Kurigram district, affecting thousands of people and devouring hundreds of houses and vast areas of agricultural land over the past two months.

The worst-affected upazilas include Kurigram Sadar, Nageshwari, Roumari, Ulipur, and Rajarhat, where residents have been forced to seek shelter on embankments, roadsides, and government shelter centres.

Despite the severity of the situation, the Water Development Board (WDB) has taken emergency measures to mitigate further erosion, said Md Rakibul Hasan, executive engineer of Kurigram WDB.

According to the WDB, erosion is occurring at 33 separate locations, covering a combined area of approximately 4.3 kilometers. The board has already started dumping 250-kg sand-filled geo bags at the erosion-prone spots on an urgent basis.

The river erosion affected areas include - Rajibpur upazila - 365m at Habiganj Bazar, 370m at Sonapur, 70m at Ghugh Mari, 100m at Sukherbati, 70m at Phuluar Char, 140m at Dakshin Namazer Char, 175m at Uttar Namazer Char, 140m at Gendar Alga.

In Kurigram Sadar upazila, erosion has been recorded with 35 meters lost at Char Newazi, 280 meters at Kodalkati, 100 meters at Jinjiram, and 142 meters at Char Youth Net.

In Ulipur upazila, the affected areas include 105 meters adjacent to Nurunnahar School, 140 meters at Rasulpur, 100 meters at Mollarhat, and 120 meters at Kismat Fulbari.

In Rajarhat upazila, 220 meters have eroded at Dariyarpar and 75 meters at Ramhari.

In Nageshwari upazila, erosion has been reported with 111 meters at Madarganj, 340 meters at Kaliganj, 175 meters at Dai Khawar Char, and 75 meters at Char Luchni on the Dudhkumar River.

At other locations, 150 meters have eroded at Sardob on the Dharla River, 150 meters at Fulbari Char Gorkomandap, 50 meters at Dari Kishorepur, 50 meters at Damal village, 82 meters at Ajitpur, 75 meters at Char Paschim Dhanirampur, 90 meters at Bangtur Ghat, 35 meters at Khauarpar, 70 meters at Char Jatrapur Baniapara on the Dharla River, 75 meters at Char Balrampur, and 40 meters at Kuti area of Bhurungamari Dhauria.

Local residents expressed deep concern and despair as their homes and ancestral lands vanished into the rivers.

"In the last one month, about 15 houses and large areas of cropland have disappeared into the river in our village. We are devastated and don't know where to go," said Nur Nabi, a resident of Char Gorkomandop in Naodanga Union under Phulbari upazila.

Saleka Begum, 55, from the same village, said, "My parents' graves disappeared into the Dharla River before my eyes. If the government doesn't take immediate action, our entire village will be gone. Where will we go?"

Abdul Gafur, Chairman of Jatrapur Union Parishad under Sadar upazila, said: "Around 100 houses in Baniapara and Sabujpara have been lost to the Brahmaputra's erosion. Every day, affected people come to me seeking shelter."

Md Abul Kalam Azad, former chairman of Bidyananda Union in Rajarhat upazila, said erosion by the Teesta River has displaced many in the Dariyarpar area, forcing people to change their addresses multiple times.

Professor Shafiqul Islam Bebu, convener of the Kurigram District Char Development Committee, explained that the formation of chars (sandbars) due to silt and sand from upstream India alters water flow and accelerates erosion.

"If these chars are not removed through dredging, the erosion will continue," he warned.

WDB Executive Engineer Rakibul Hasan added that efforts are ongoing with the deployment of geo bags and other resources to protect the most vulnerable points.