Jamuna erosion: Homeless people still wait for shelter

Four decimals of land and a hut – all the belongings that Firoza Bawa had – went into the gorge of mighty Jamuna.

She could do nothing but helplessly look on in silence the onslaught of the Jamuna river that eroded her homestead and the piece of land.

The widow, a resident of Kostapara village in Bhuiyanpur upazila of Tangail, along with her family is now reeling from the loss of her dwelling place in the river.

Firoza has not got any permanent place to live even a month after Jamuna had eaten away her homestead.  

"I along with my four children am passing my days and nights amid great hardship. But we have not got any support from the government," hapless Firoza said with frustration.

Her husband who used to support his family pulling rickshaw and van died of cardiac arrest nine months ago. After losing the lone wage earner in the family, Firoza started to work as a domestic help to feed her two daughters and two sons.  

To add to her miseries, the raging Jamuna took away her only living place. She and her children have taken shelter in other's house. They do not know when she will get back their house back.   

Like Firoza, hundreds of people at Kostapara, Valkutia and Khanurbari villages lost their houses and a vast area of cropland because of the river erosion.

The turbulent river continues to devour croplands at Balrampur, Torai, Char Torai of Gabshara and Arjuna unions in the upazila.

The onslaught of turbulent Jamuna also did not show any mercy on farmer Rahij Uddin and his family. Losing their homestead in the river gorge, they have taken a temporary shelter beside a village road. 

Rahij, a resident of Valkutia village, does not know whether his land will remerge on the riverbed or not.

"I do not know where I will go now with my family and how I will feed them as Jamuna has left me with nothing," Rahiz said in a choked voice.

He has become very worried as he has no place to live with his wife and nine children. He is now impoverished after losing his dwelling houses and a small piece of agriculture land. Rahij and his family members are now passing days amid great hardship.

His neighbours – Hashmot Ali and Malek Mia –  are dealing with the same blow. They have no place to live. They are passing days with a little or no food.

Erosion-hit people said every year new families are becoming homeless. But no initiative has come in view yet to save their homesteads except for very little dry food and two to four kilograms of rice. They demand a permanent solution to the Jamuna erosion.

Bhuiyanpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Jhoton Chandra said they distributed what they have for erosion-hit people. They have not got any new allocation as yet.

The recent flood and erosion wreaked havoc on many people in the upazila.  At least, 300 houses have been eroded. The flood has washed away crops of 17,000 hectares of land worth Tk141 crore, according to the district administration.

Besides, fish cultivators have become penniless as different species of fish worth Tk4 crore were also washed away due to flooding.

Around 500-kilometre-long road and 10 bridges were affected due to the river erosion.  This year, the flood also claimed five lives.   

Deputy Commissioner of Tangail Shahidul Islam said they have already distributed 900 tonnes of rice, 5,000 packets of dry food and Tk18 lakh in cash to flood-hit people.

A new list of affected people has been sent to the ministry concerned. They will get support once the allocation comes, he added.

Asked about the rehabilitation of homeless people, he said there is an "Ashrayan Project" in Bhuiyanpur upazila. The district administration will take necessary measures, if they want to go there willingly.