Relentless Teesta River Erosion Leaves Dozens Homeless in Northern Bangladesh
Photo Collected
The relentless erosion of the Teesta River has left residents of Kacharipara village in Rangpur’s Gangachara upazila in a state of humanitarian crisis, as dozens of families watch their livelihoods vanish into the rising currents. Over the past six days, the river has consumed eight homes, while more than 100 others remain precariously close to the crumbling banks.
For long-term residents like Sultana Begum, the disaster is a cyclical trauma. After losing her home to the Teesta at least ten times over the last 35 years, she had spent the past decade rebuilding her life in Kacharipara. That final sanctuary collapsed into the water on Wednesday, leaving her destitute. Begum, who estimates she has lost roughly 40 bighas of land to the river’s path over the years, now faces an uncertain future with no assets left to her name.
বিজ্ঞাপন
The destruction has spared few. Motaleb Mia, who invested 1.4 million taka in 2008 to build a nine-room concrete house for his family, now stands on the edge of the riverbank watching the remains of his property disappear. Echoing the sentiments of his neighbors, he described the loss not merely as material, but as a visceral blow to his remaining years, questioning whether any lasting solution exists to stop the river’s encroachment.
Local reports indicate that while floodwaters have begun to recede, the falling water levels have paradoxically triggered more aggressive erosion. As the riverbank continues to collapse, families are being forced to dismantle their homes, salvaging corrugated iron sheets and timber in a desperate race against the currents. Many have been left to huddle under the open sky, their household goods piled beside them as they await government intervention.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Community leaders and affected residents are urging authorities to prioritize immediate stabilization efforts, specifically through the deployment of geotextile bags to reinforce the banks. Without comprehensive river training projects and sustainable resettlement support, locals fear that the entire village of Kacharipara, along with vast tracts of agricultural land, will soon be reclaimed by the Teesta.
Ashraf Ali, Chairman of the Nohali Union Parishad, confirmed that the situation has been escalated to the upazila administration and the Water Development Board. He warned that without swift, coordinated action, the scale of the damage will expand rapidly.
In response, local officials have begun assessing the extent of the disaster. Upazila Nirbahu Officer Jasmine Akter stated that the administration is actively monitoring the situation and has begun distributing emergency food supplies to the displaced. Meanwhile, Rabiul Islam, an executive engineer with the Water Development Board, noted that 400 geotextile bags have been deployed to the area as a stopgap measure, and discussions regarding more robust, long-term stabilization are underway with higher authorities.
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