Neglected century-old pond in Sunamganj becomes public health hazard amid illegal encroachment

A century-old government pond in Sunamganj’s Madhyanagar upazila has devolved into a sprawling waste dump, posing significant health risks to students at the adjacent Madhyanagar Bazar Government Primary School. Once a vital source of clean water for the community, the pond now serves as a repository for refuse, leading to severe water stagnation and pervasive odors that disrupt the school environment.

As reported by Prothom Alo, the deteriorating condition of the pond has forced school authorities to take reactive measures, including the use of sprays to combat the stench and the installation of makeshift fencing to deter people from disposing of garbage near the school grounds. Headmaster Ramendra Chandra Talukdar emphasized that the accumulation of waste has become an unbearable burden for the students, many of whom suffer from the constant smell and unsanitary conditions.

Historical records indicate the pond was excavated around 1915 by the local landlord, Birendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury, to provide essential water access for the residents of Madhyanagar. Spanning nearly two acres at its inception, the water body has shrunk to roughly 89 decimal points due to urban encroachment and the construction of government infrastructure. While the local market development committee oversaw maintenance in the decades following its creation, the site has suffered from nearly four decades of official neglect.

The pond’s integrity is further compromised by persistent illegal occupation. Although the Dharmapasha upazila administration cleared squatters from the site six years ago, local residents have since encroached upon the land once again to build residences and latrines. According to Golam Sarwar, an assistant officer at the Madhyanagar Union Land Office, nearly 40 percent of the remaining 89-decimal area is currently under illegal occupation, a situation that has been brought to the attention of higher authorities.

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Recent site observations reveal a landscape choked by mounds of garbage, dense patches of weeds, and contaminated, muddy water. Former educator Chittaranjan Talukdar, 70, lamented the loss of a landmark that once held great communal significance, noting that despite previous eviction efforts, the lack of ongoing stewardship has allowed the pond to return to a state of decay.

Jony Roy, the Dharmapasha Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) currently overseeing the Madhyanagar administration, acknowledged the urgency of the situation. He pledged that the local government would take concrete steps to remove illegal occupants and initiate a comprehensive restoration and dredging project to return the pond to its former utility.