Kurigram residents face fresh displacement as Teesta devours land

Severe erosion along the Teesta River has once again put vast areas of Kurigram at risk, swallowing cropland and homesteads and pushing thousands of riverbank residents into deep uncertainty.

Farmland is disappearing almost daily, leaving farmers without livelihoods and families fearing the loss of their homes.

"We are losing land every day. Now our homes are also at risk. We don't know where we will go with our families," said Mahbub Hossain, a resident of Palashpur village under Nazimkhan union.

"We cannot even sleep properly due to the erosion. Every year we hear promises of work, but nothing changes in reality," said housewife Rahima Begum.

Farmers said the loss of cultivable land has cut off their only source of income.

"My farmland has gone into the river. There is no way to earn anymore. We urgently need a permanent solution," said Moksed Ali.

Originating in India's Sikkim, the Teesta travels about 315 kilometres before entering Bangladesh, flowing through Nilphamari, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, and Gaibandha before meeting the Brahmaputra in Gaibandha.

Around 115 kilometres of the river lie within Bangladesh.

According to the Kurigram office of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), nearly 45 kilometres of the Teesta riverbank in the district are erosion-prone.

Several vulnerable stretches have already been identified, including 400 metres in the Ramhari area under Ghoriyardanga union, 500 metres in parts of Nazimkhan union, 1,000 metres in Chaprarpar under Thetarai union of Ulipur upazila, 500 metres in Saduar Damarhat, and 700 metres in the Bajra area.

Despite recurring losses over the years, residents alleged that no effective long-term measures have been taken, said locals.

Temporary efforts, such as dumping sand-filled geo-bags, have failed to provide lasting protection.

Shafiqul Islam Bebu, president of the Kurigram District Char Development and Implementation Council, said countries like the Netherlands have comprehensive systems to support erosion victims, including housing and rehabilitation.

"In our country, there is no such structured support. A legal framework is urgently needed to ensure compensation for those affected," he said.

BWDB Executive Engineer Md Rakibul Hasan said the situation is being monitored closely.

"We have identified the vulnerable areas. As an emergency measure, around 100,000 geo-bags filled with sand will be placed to prevent further erosion," he said.

However, locals said similar assurances are given every year without yielding durable solutions.

As a result, fresh waves of displacement continue, with families losing their homes and land to the relentless river.