A.F.M. Asad Ullah: Suffering and anxiety seem never-ending for the locals in Kulaura Upazila of Moulvibazar due to the incomplete Manu River Protection Embankment. While the project has been partially completed, various sections remain damaged, leaving residents worried about their safety.
The construction of the Manu River Protection Embankment has been ongoing for four years. For the last two and a half months, no repair work has been done on the damaged sections. With the monsoon approaching, residents are increasingly concerned about their safety due to the unprotected embankment. The project, initially scheduled to be completed in three years, has already taken an additional year, yet the expected results remain elusive. Recently, the project deadline has been extended further to June 2025.
Discussions with officials from various departments, contractors, and locals revealed that only half of the embankment’s work has been completed within the stipulated time. Delays in planning, land acquisition, and other complex processes have hindered progress. Additionally, as the area is near the border, issues related to river protection have further slowed the work. Initiated in 2021, the project’s delay raises fears that Kulaura could face severe flooding again this year. Over 100,000 residents from four riverbank unions in the upazila are at the highest risk.
Locals stated that they have organized various programs, including human chains, and submitted memoranda to the authorities demanding the quick completion of the Manu River embankment. However, there is no clear decision regarding the project’s completion.
According to the District Water Development Board, the project, which began in 2020 with a budget of 307 crore taka under 28 packages, aims to protect Kulaura from floods and erosion. The packages include 20 for protective works, 4 for silt removal, and 4 for flood control embankment restoration. So far, 50% of the project work in Kulaura has been completed.
A visit to the Manu River embankment and adjacent villages revealed that residents of Shikaria in Prithimpasha Union mentioned that the embankment was damaged by floods in 2024. A 100-foot section that was damaged that year has yet to be repaired. Border-related complexities have created challenges for work on some sections. Residents from Rajapur, Belertal, and Saidul areas also reported delays due to contractors’ negligence, issues with land acquisition, and untimely financial disbursement.
Local residents Fayzul Haque, Mokhles Mia, and Atik Mia recalled how the August 21, 2024 flood affected over 50 villages in Prithimpasha and Tilagaon Unions, destroying homes and submerging thousands of acres of farmland. Similar devastation occurred during floods in 2018 and 2022 in Tilagaon, Hajipur, Sharifpur, and Prithimpasha Unions. During the monsoon, rising water levels in the river threaten the existence of the embankment, river, and surrounding villages. The affected residents spend every moment in fear of floods.
Moulvibazar Water Development Board’s Executive Engineer Khaled Bin Olid stated that 50% of the embankment work has been completed so far, but progress has been delayed due to various complications.
The official added that work in some border areas faces obstruction from the BSF. Discussions between Bangladesh and India at the top level are ongoing in this regard. Work on 1,400 meters across four locations in Sharifpur Union has been halted. In 2023, a letter was sent from the Joint Rivers Commission in Dhaka to New Delhi seeking permission to carry out work in these areas. The most recent discussions took place in March in Kolkata at a high-level meeting between the two countries.
Kulaura Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md. Mahiuddin stated that the district administration has instructed the relevant authorities in the district development meeting to expedite the completion of the Manu River embankment project.
