A. F. M. Asad Ullah: In Kamalganj, Moulvibazar, residents living along the banks of the Dholai River are once again gripped with fear as the monsoon season approaches. The torrential rains and upstream mountain runoff have caused the turbulent Dholai River to erode its banks, leaving the residents in constant anxiety. In recent years, devastating floods submerged approximately 10 to 12 villages, including Rampasha, Rampur, Narayanpur, Chaitanyaganj, Kumrakapan, and Kandigaon. Already, 40 to 50 homes and agricultural lands in Rampasha village have been lost to the river due to erosion, and residents are dreading further destruction in the upcoming monsoon season.
Recently, the residents, along with the Saiyakhali Haor Water Management Cooperative Society, organized a human chain protest near the damaged embankment in Ward No. 9 of the municipal area, demanding the construction of embankments and piling of geo-bags.
It was reported that during last year’s rainfall and mountain runoff, the Rampasha area of the municipal region suffered severe embankment breaches. As a result of the erosion, families of individuals such as Md. Abdur Noor Chowdhury, Md. Abdur Rob Chowdhury, Md. Abdur Razzak Chowdhury, M. R. Khan, Haris Mia, Ajid Mia, Jamir Mia, Rahim Mia, Karim Mia, Alamgir Mia, Ashiq Mia, Arfan Mia, Raju Mia, Tajud Mia, Ramzan Mia, Lata Malakar, Nikhil Malakar, Monindra Malakar, Joydhan Malakar, Jogindra Malakar, Haidar Mia, Robendra Malakar, Pranesh Kumar Pal, Probesh Kumar Pal, Paritosh Kumar Pal, Pradip Kumar Pal, Pankaj Kumar Pal, Kshirod Debnath, Moni Debnath, Sunil Debnath, Mahmuda Begum, Akhtar Mia, Ashrab Mia, Abu Mia, Montaz Box, Birai Box, Motlib Box, Monir Box, Mannan Box, Alizzama, and Bikul Kumar Pal were displaced. These families have lost their ancestral homes and are now living in extreme hardship elsewhere.
As the monsoon season nears, fears of sudden flooding continue to loom large for the residents of Rampasha and other riverbank areas. During a human chain protest organized by the villagers, speakers, including Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Ibrahim Mohammad Abduhu, General Secretary of the Saiyakhali Haor Water Management Cooperative Society Wakil Ahmed, Nazmul Hasan Mithu, Fakhru Chowdhury, and Nikhil Malakar, demanded the construction of protective embankments in Rampasha.
Moulvibazar Water Development Board Executive Engineer Md. Khaled Bin Olid stated on Thursday afternoon that a project proposal for repairing the breached embankments of the Dholai River has already been submitted to the ministry. Once funds are allocated, tenders will be called, and steps will be taken to repair the embankments promptly.
