Jamuna River erosion destroys spur embankment in Bogura, threatening local communities
Photo Collected
A 30-meter section of a spur embankment along the Jamuna River in the Dhunat sub-district of Bogura collapsed Friday morning, triggered by a surge of water from upstream. The structural failure at the Shaharabad spur in Bhandarbari Union has ignited fears of widespread erosion, threatening approximately one kilometer of riverbank extending toward Baniyajan and jeopardizing hundreds of families who have sought refuge on the flood control embankments.
Local residents are expressing mounting frustration over the recurring nature of the damage. Many argue that the Water Development Board (WDB) fails to implement proactive, long-term preventative measures during the dry season, instead opting for emergency repairs involving sandbags only after the monsoon season begins. Critics contend that these recurring, last-minute interventions are a misuse of public funds that ultimately fail to withstand the river’s force.
বিজ্ঞাপন
The region has a long history of displacement caused by the Jamuna’s volatile path. Over the years, at least eight to ten settlements, including Baishakhi Char, Radhanagar, and Pukuria, have been completely submerged by erosion. These disasters have stripped thousands of their livelihoods and homes, forcing them to relocate to the very flood control embankments that are now increasingly vulnerable.
Data from the Bogura Water Development Board indicates that the Shaharabad and Baniyajan spurs were constructed in 2003 at a cost of roughly 60 million taka to protect the main flood control embankment. While the structures successfully diverted the river’s flow for years, a partial collapse of the Baniyajan spur in 2021 signaled a breakdown in the system, leading to significant land loss.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Mahmud Hasan, executive engineer for the Bogura WDB, visited the site following the collapse and confirmed that the damaged area is currently under repair. He noted that crews have deployed geo-tubes and geo-textile bags to stabilize the site and mitigate immediate risks to the primary embankment.
Beyond the natural force of the water, residents have raised concerns regarding illegal sand extraction by influential individuals, which they believe has weakened the integrity of the riverbank structures. While Dhunat Upazila Executive Officer Arif Ullah Nizami stated that authorities have launched multiple operations against illegal sand miners in response to community complaints, the encroaching river continues to swallow fertile farmland, leaving local farmers destitute as the monsoon intensity persists.
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