At the end of the monsoon, the Padma river has eroded in Bara Naopara village of Lauhjong-Teutia union of Munshiganj’s Lauhjong upazila. In the last 3 days, 9 houses in 150 meters area of ​​the village have been destroyed. Hundreds of families are at risk with their homes due to erosion. Their houses are being moved to other places.

It can be seen in Bara Naopara area, the bank of the river is breaking due to the current and waves of Padma. The impression of erosion-fear is on the faces of the local people. Many have started work to evacuate their homes.

Due to the rain, many people can’t even do that. A few families have arranged the furniture. If the level of erosion increases, they are ready to break the house and move to another place. Some have left their furniture at a close relative’s house.

Mamun Molla, a resident of Bara Naopara village, said, ‘Once the river was one kilometer away from home. It was stuck next to the house. Last Saturday, I lost my home due to a sudden landslide. I have broken the house and kept it in someone else’s house. I have taken shelter in people’s houses.

Local people said that on Saturday morning, the hundreds of years old house of Qutub Molla, Mamun Molla and Mithu Molla went into the womb of Padma. Hastily, their house was demolished and moved to another place. Homes of hundreds of families are at risk. They are spending sleepless nights in fear of when Padma will swallow him. They said that day and night, sand is being extracted from the Padma river in an uncontrolled manner. Due to the movement of hundreds of sand-carrying bulkheads and adverse weather conditions, the Padma River is causing massive waves. Strong eddy currents in Padma. Due to these reasons, erosion has started in Bara Naopara village of Padma river even at the end of monsoon.

Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Abdul Awal visited the area after receiving the news of erosion. He said that he has spoken to the officer of the Water Development Board to prevent erosion. Jio bag will be removed soon. And there are frequent campaigns against sand mining in Padma.

About 30 meters of land in Sundisar area of ​​Ward No. 3 of Bejgaon Union was lost in the river on Monday morning. Sundisa Madrasah and Mosque are 70-80 meters away from that landslide. Qutb Molla, a victim of erosion, said, “The house of father and grandfather disappeared in Padma in front of his eyes. I couldn’t stop it. Many more people’s houses are facing destruction. Administration people are coming and seeing. Why the erosion is happening, how to stop the erosion, no one has taken any action.

In 2019, the Water Development Board (PUBO) conducted a survey in the area along the banks of the Padma in Lauhjung and Tongibari upazilas. Then 13 km area from Kharia of Lauhjong upazila to Dighirpar of Tongibari upazila was identified as erosion prone. Paubo identifies 9.10 km from the 13 km area as highly erosion prone. The large Naopara village was not among them.

Paubo executive engineer Ranendra Shankar Chakraborty said that 6,000 geo bags have been started at a cost of 30 lakh taka to prevent erosion in Naopar village. Already 700 Jio bags have been dropped. The official said that the erosion of Padma has increased due to sand extraction, movement of bulkheads along the banks and strong currents. If these three problems are not solved, erosion cannot be prevented even by spending crores of rupees.