Sudden erosion collapses Padma embankment in Shariatpur, 19 structures swept away in minutes
Six residential houses and 13 business establishments were swallowed by the river in a matter of minutes, prompting panic among local residents
A 200-metre stretch of the Padma River embankment in Shariatpur's Zajira upazila collapsed suddenly yesterday (7 July), washing away at least 19 structures and threatening hundreds of families in the area.
The erosion occurred around 4pm near the Majhirghat area, part of the protective embankment built to safeguard the Padma Bridge's construction yard.
Six residential houses and 13 business establishments were swallowed by the river in a matter of minutes, prompting panic among local residents.
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At least 50 residential and commercial structures have since been relocated, with more than 600 families now under direct threat of further erosion.
The affected area includes Majhirghat Bazar and the nearby villages of Alam Khar Kandi, Ukil Uddin Munshi Kandi, and Oshim Uddin Munshi Kandi.
Locals said the erosion spread rapidly, giving them little time to react. Panic intensified as residents rushed to move household items and dismantle homes in the rain.
"Before we could even understand, several shops and houses vanished into the river right before our eyes. The erosion kept advancing. People started moving whatever they could. Many could not save anything," said Nurul Amin, a resident of Madbarkandi village.
Joynab Begum, a resident struggling to evacuate her home, said, "There is no way. It has come close to the house. I do not know where to go, but I am still rushing under the rain. I do not even know where I will go."
Officials from the district administration and the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) visited the site immediately after the incident.
Emergency efforts began overnight to curb the erosion by dumping geo bags filled with sand.
Tarek Hasan, executive engineer of the BWDB Shariatpur, told TBS, "Over 150 metres of embankment have collapsed. We have begun immediate efforts to prevent further erosion using geo bags. However, the embankment was already marked as risky in a joint survey conducted with the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA)."
According to BWDB sources, the embankment was originally constructed as a temporary protective measure for the Padma Bridge project.
Spanning two kilometres on the downstream east side of the bridge, the structure was built at a cost of Tk110 crore under the supervision of BBA. A river training embankment was later added to it.
This is not the first collapse in the area. In November last year, a portion of the embankment near Naodoba Zero Point gave way. On 8 June this year, another 200-metre stretch of the same embankment collapsed.
Yesterday's incident has further heightened concerns over the structural integrity of the existing embankment.
According to Tarek Hasan, a project has already been submitted for constructing a permanent embankment.
"The Water Development Board will begin work on a sustainable solution once the project is approved," he said.
Zajira Upazila Nirbahi Officer Kaberi Roy stated, "The erosion situation in the area has taken a terrible turn. We are working to relocate the affected people safely and prepare a list of the damages. The Water Development Board is dumping geo bags to try and stop the erosion. Meanwhile, the district administration will provide food and other assistance to those who have lost their homes."
Announcements are being made repeatedly by the administration, urging residents in high-risk zones to move to safer locations.
Despite the response efforts, erosion continues to threaten the area as residents brace for further damage.
