Naria erodes away as Padma cuts a path of destruction

M Humayun Kabir: The Padma has engulfed at least two square kilometres of land in Naria Upazila in the central district of Shariatpur during this monsoon.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer or UNO Sanjida Yasmin said Muktarer Char, Kedarpur Union and a huge swathe of land in Naria Municipality have almost lost their existence to the continuous erosion of the river, reports bdnews24.com.
She added that at least 5,000 families in the areas have lost their households and become refugees.
Over 100-year-old Amirjan who became a widow 25 years ago said her husband’s small house was her only inheritance. The Padma devoured it three days back, leaving her with no place to take refuge.
“I have never seen such ferocity of the river Padma,” said Amirjan, a resident of Mulfatganj.
Another resident of Mulfatganj Shaheda has dismantled her wooden house and shifted some of her belongings to her neighbour’s yard to survive the river erosion.
Shaheda, wife of a day-labourer, is living under the open sky and she is anxious about their future as they lost everything.
The river has engulfed Moni Begum’s father’s house, and even the houses of those families Moni used to work for after her husband divorced her, Moni along with her two children has nothing but an uncertain future.
Born in the house in Naria, Mashan Chandra Das has dismantled his house as the erosion caused the river to come near his house. He does not know where to go to live with his family.
Losing her house to the Padma seven days ago, Nazma Begum from Kedarpur took refuge at the yard of a neighbour with her children. Now that place has become vulnerable to river erosion too.
“We learn that those foreigner Rohingyas are getting so much of help but no has come to us,” Nazma expressed her frustration.
A big part of the house owned by Seema Das in Daspara Kedarpur went into the Padma about three days back. Seema took refuge in daily prayers to save the last remaining part.
There is nothing but 150 feet deep water now where his house once stood, said Tamijuddin, an elderly person.
Most of the land Mujibur Rahman owned eroded away before he could reach home from Kedarpur where he works in a garment factory.
The Padma has also begun to devour the Naria Upazila Health Complex, the only government institution with 50 beds for patients to provide health services to the 250,000 people.
Apart from agriculture, the river erosion is also destroying the high-rise buildings that were constructed with the money sent by the migrant workers living in Italy or in other European countries.
A number of houses, bridges, roads, culverts along with more than 400 shophouses and business houses went into the river within a week.
Many of the locals are shifting their houses and shophouses to survive.
The affected families who took shelter in the 39 cyclone centres have received rice and other dry food. The government has also moved to provide money and tin to rehabilitate the affected families.
The locals have been demanding necessary measures to prevent the river erosion as most of the agricultural lands went into the Padma in the last few years.
The government had approved a Tk 10 billion project in January to handle the issue. But river erosion struck again in July before the project could be started.
Bangladesh Water Development Board in Shariatpur has placed 10,000 bags in the river as an emergency measure, it said.
It has tamed the current to an extent but the erosion has not stopped.
Authorities say they cannot start the project to save the river banks unless the monsoon water abates.