▫️Seven culverts built by encroaching the river
▫️No resolution despite repeated complaints
▫️Unseasonal floods and disruptions in agriculture due to minimal rainfall
Jitu Ahmed, Osmaninagar Correspondent:
Illegal encroachment and pollution have pushed the once-mighty Ratna River in Osmaninagar, Sylhet, to the brink of extinction. Local residents have turned the river into a dumping ground by disposing of market and household waste into it.
Culverts are being constructed one after another by encroaching on the river’s land. The river’s flow has been repeatedly altered through encroachments, causing the area to experience floods even with minimal rainfall.
Due to illegal encroachments, the canal remains dry during the dry season, causing significant disruptions to agricultural activities. The once-mighty Ratna River has now been reduced to a dried-up canal. The locals demand that the river be dredged and freed from encroachments and pollution to restore its navigability.
Tutiur Rahman Chowdhury Tota Mia of Hastidur village stated that numerous complaints have been filed to save the canal, but no action has been taken. He added, “Despite filing written complaints on several occasions, no resolution was achieved. The canal’s encroachment results in prolonged flooding during the rainy season, while the lack of water in the dry season severely impacts agriculture. The culverts should have been constructed in accordance with the canal’s width and with proper permission from the authorities.”
According to sources, the Ratna River once flowed from the Kalasara Haor in Goala Bazar Union to Dayaleng Haor through Dashpara Canal. About two decades ago, boats of all kinds could navigate the canal. However, now even water struggles to flow through it. The section of the canal from Goynaghati to Kalasara Haor spans nearly 1 kilometer. Alongside the canal, seven low-height, narrow culverts have been constructed by encroaching on the canal to facilitate access to adjacent residences. Some people have even set up timber yards atop the culverts for business purposes.
When the canal’s natural flow was threatened due to natural disasters, it underwent a dredging operation this year at the cost of approximately 3.5 million BDT. However, some influential individuals have backfilled sections of the dredged canal for personal use, narrowing the canal’s width and obstructing the flow of water.
The construction of the Upazila Health Complex near the canal has recently increased the value of the adjacent land several times. Consequently, some influential locals are preparing to construct culverts for building houses or commercial establishments by encroaching on the canal.
Recently, after receiving reports of an ongoing culvert construction, Osmaninagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Zainal Abedin inspected the canal. He said, “After receiving the news, I visited the canal and have instructed the suspension of the ongoing culvert construction.”
Not only is culvert construction an issue, but encroachment and natural disasters have also caused the canals and wetlands in the upazila to fill up, negatively impacting agriculture. Waterlogging during the monsoon season and a lack of water during the dry season leave many agricultural lands uncultivated every year.
Regarding the matter, Md. Habibur Rahman, Divisional Assistant Engineer (Irrigation Wing) of the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, Sylhet, stated, “We will look into the issue and take necessary action.”
