River erosion in Shariatpur damages 1,800m embankment, washes away Tk35cr geobags

Approximately 1,800 metres of the under-construction Padma riverbank protection embankment in Zajira upazila of Shariatpur have been damaged by severe river erosion.

Some 5.24 lakh geobags of the project have been washed away, causing an estimated loss of Tk35 crore.

According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), Shariatpur, 24 homesteads have been swallowed by the river, leaving at least 450 families homeless.

BWDB is constructing an 8.67-kilometre embankment from the Zeropoint area of Poorba Naodoba union to Pathaliyakandi in Sadar union.

Out of this, nearly 1,800 metres—from Zeropoint to Kathariakandi—have been affected. In several spots, the river has advanced 10 to 110 metres inland.

Locals allege that the damage was worsened by delays and the slow pace of work.

According to sources, 11 contracting firms were working in the affected area under 11 packages.

They had dumped about 5.24 lakh geobags, most of which were washed away by the current.

The firms have already withdrawn bills worth around Tk35 crore for the dumped geobags, while contractors collectively received about Tk310 crore from the entire project.

Among the damaged packages, Khulna Shipyard was awarded one covering Zajira's Zeropoint area at the end of January this year.

The company reportedly began work in July, six months after receiving the work order. Residents allege that the late start prevented effective protection during the monsoon.

When contacted over the phone to inquire about this matter, Khulna Shipyard General Manager (D&P) Capt AFM Enamul Hassan declined to comment on the matter.

However, he said that if the questions are sent in writing, a comment can be made later with the permission of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

Aftalun Islam, site engineer of another contractor, Infrastructure Private Limited, said, "Eleven packages in the project area have been subjected to river erosion. A lot of our materials are being washed away. We are arranging to move the materials to save them from damage." He added that work could resume if the erosion stopped and the WDB made a new design.

Khan Mohammad Waliuzzaman, executive engineer of BWDB Shariatpur, said the erosion was a natural occurrence caused by morphological changes in the river.

"We are already surveying the damaged area. Work will be resumed after modifying the design according to the survey report," he said, adding that costs might increase slightly.

Photo: TBS

Locals left homeless

A visit to the site revealed that about one and a half kilometres of road from Zeropoint to Palerchar Bazaar have been submerged.

Concrete blocks along the riverbank have also been washed away in several areas. Many people have shifted their shops and houses further inland for safety.

Locals described heavy losses.

Khalil Talukdar of Poilan Mollakandi village said, "Five of my houses and one bigha of land have been swallowed by the river in half an hour of erosion. Now I have nothing. If the embankment work had been done on time, I would not be destitute today."

Azizur Rahman Madbor, whose homestead was lost to the river, said, "Five to six bighas of land and my house have gone under. If the embankment work is completed on time, we might survive the next monsoon."

Abu Bakar Akon, who lost his home and four bighas of land, said he was now living in a relative's yard.

"We were relieved when the embankment work began, but the slow pace has ruined us," he said.

Local union member Mujibur Rahman Madbor said, "They were supposed to work during the dry season, but started during the monsoon instead. Because of that, the geobags were not properly dumped. The current is stronger this year as the river now flows along the right bank. If the geobags had been dumped before the erosion started, this disaster could have been avoided."

BWDB officials said that severe erosion occurred along the Padma River from Poorba Naodoba's Zeropoint to Bilashpur union, downstream of the Padma Bridge.

The Ministry of Water Resources had approved a Tk860 crore project in 2023 to protect the riverbank, under which the embankment was being built across Poorba Naodoba, Palerchar, Borkandi, Zajira, and Bilashpur unions.

The project was divided into 31 packages, awarded to different contracting firms, with field-level work beginning on 17 May 2023. The plan included dumping sand-filled geobags and placing stone blocks to protect the bank.

However, erosion intensified after the onset of the monsoon season.

A one-kilometre stretch near the Padma Bridge project area was washed away, followed by worsening erosion from Poorba Naodoba to Kathuriakandi in Palerchar.

Nearly two kilometres of the under-construction embankment have since been damaged or destroyed.