BARHATTA, NETRAKONA, June 25: The erosion by the Kangsa River at Barhatta Upazila of the district has turned fierce threatening four villages near Fakira Bazar under Raypur Union.
The only Thakurakona-Fakira Bazaar road linking the locality with the district has been broken by half a kilometre due to strong current in the river.
Locals said more than 500 houses in Kornopur, Char Para, Pachhpai and Baghrua villages have been eroded, and another 400 houses are under the erosion threat.
Panic is prevailing among local inhabitants along banks of the river.
One Abdur Razzak Talukdar of Char Para Village said, for the last few years, the erosive Kongsa has taken its deadly manner.
Losing houses and belongings, most of the villagers have taken shelters in others' houses. The only road for communication has been inundated.
If a permanent guide-dam is not raised immediately, then several thousands of houses are feared to be devoured.
Pankaj Mazumdar of Kornopur Village said, "We rounded door to door of local public representatives and the administration." It is regretting they have yet to take any measure in this regard.
Kamal Hossain of Kornopur Village said, "Our houses and lands are being eroded. But there is no response from the authorities concerned. "
Local MP and State Minister for Social Welfare Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru and State Minister for Water Resources Zahid Faruk, MP, have inspected the eroded areas. Seeing the submerged scenes, they gave assurance of a permanent protection dam.
A number of victims like Saheb Uddin, Abdul Monnaf, Swapon Sarkar, Sattendra Barman, Sabur Mia and Selim Mia of Kornopur Village said their houses have been washed away. "We're living in others' houses," they added.
Raypur Union Chairman Atikur Rahman Raju said hundreds of acres of arable lands have been eroded by the river.
Netrakona Water Development Board's Executive Engineer Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman said a proposal to raise a permanent guide-dam is under way; an allocation has been approached for repairing the broken parts of the proposed road for the time being.
