Faridpur District Representative-
Illegal sand mining has caused severe erosion in the Padma River in Charbhadrasan Upazila of Faridpur; homes and cropland are being destroyed.
Several educational institutions and markets in seven villages in the region are under threat due to erosion.
The district administration says that measures will be taken to stop illegal sand mining. The Water Development Board (Paubo) has announced that it will take initiatives to build dams to protect the river banks from erosion.
The three kilometers from the head of the Zakereshura canal in Harirampur Union to Hajiganj in Gazirtek Union and the one kilometer from Sabulya Sikder Dangi Government Primary School in the Upazila Sadar to the betel nut garden area are most at risk from river erosion.
Residents of at least seven villages, including Tilarchar, Intajmoler Dangi, Sabulya Sikder Dangi, and Zaker Shura in Harirampur Union, have alleged that local influential people are illegally extracting sand from the Padma River adjacent to these areas using dredgers day after day. As a result, severe erosion has occurred in the river. They will not be saved unless a dam is built quickly.
A public hearing on the proposed riverbank protection project was held at Zakerershura Bazar in Charbhadrasan Upazila on Thursday afternoon, organized by the Water Development Board.
Many local men and women spoke out against illegal sand mining from the river. They shared their suffering at a public hearing.
Abdur Rashid, 70, said, "The way sand was extracted from this river day and night with machines during the previous government's time, it is still going on. This illegal work has not stopped. We, the people of the riverbank, are helpless."
Later, officials from the district administration and Water Development Board inspected the erosion-affected areas.
Faridpur Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Ramanand Pal said, "I have come to discuss the importance of the project with the local public and the people on the banks of the river. Three and a half kilometers of the river bank are in an unprotected state, it will be brought under protection. I have already sent the project proposal."
"In addition, there are instructions from the current government that the opinions of the project's beneficiaries must be taken. As per those instructions, a public hearing has been held and a report will be sent quickly based on the opinions."
The Additional District Administrator believes that the implementation of the project is urgent, but before that, sand looters must be driven out.
The Water Development Board said that the estimated cost of the project to construct a three and a half kilometer river bank conservation dam is Tk 4 billion.
Expressing hope that the project will be approved soon, Faridpur Water Development Board Executive Engineer Md. Rakib Hossain said that if the project gets approval, work will start this year; which will be completed in February 2028.
