River Sitalakhya is flowing between Singhosree of Kapasia upazilla in the east, Bormee in Sreepur upazilla in the west. The Kapasia part has many structures along the banks, but the Sreepur part has the opposite picture. However, the focus of Sitalakhya is more on Kapasia. The boundary of the river is increasingly eroding the bank of the river. Already, many houses and crop lands have been swallowed up by Sitalakhya. The locals did not get any remedy even after applying to the Ministry of Water Resources to protect their properties from erosion.
According to the locals, the width of the river is increasing every year due to illegal extraction of sand. A written complaint to the Ministry of Water Resources on August 25, 2015 to take action to prevent river erosion did not meet any remedy. Every year, the river is eroding about 300 feet in the river. Numerous establishments including mosques, Madrasas and markets are at risk for this.
It has been seen on the spot that Vitipara and Kuriadi villages of Singhashree union of Kapasia upazilla are situated on the west bank of the river. Next to it is the Bormee Bridge on the Sinhashree-Bormee Regional Road. The highest erosion is around two kilometers from Talukdar Bari Ghat to Singhashree Bazar Ghat to Das Bari. Adjacent to this river bank are Singhshree Darul Ulum Madrasa, Singhshree Union High School, Union Health Center, Singhshree Bazar, Singhshree Union Parishad Office, Sonali Bank, Singhshree Palli Bidyut Office, Police Barracks, Rice Mill and many more.
According to the locals, in the last 20-25 years, about 300 bighas of arable land on the east bank of the river from Singhashree Das Bari to Kuriadi Talukdar Bari Ghat in the north has been devoured. Within this boundary are two illegal ‘Balumahals’ called 'Messrs. Saikat Traders' owned by a former president of the Singhshree Union Awami League and 'Messrs. Qadir Member Enterprise' owned by one of his relatives. There are two sand dunes connecting the river with thick pipes. Sand is being extracted through connecting pipes by putting dredgers in the river at night.
Pursuant to Rule No. 62 of the Balumhal and Soil Management Act 2010, it is prohibited to set up Balumhal within minimum 1 km from bridges, culverts, embankments, barrages, dams, roads, highways, forests, railways and other important public and private facilities and residential areas. The same law prohibits the extraction, transportation, marketing and supply of sand or soil from Balumhal without lease.
Local residents, who did not want to be named told Barta24.com that the river continued to erode as a result of dredging sand along the river banks. Another reason is that there is no place for rainwater to flow. When it rains heavily, the water flows into the river. As a result, it first develops large cracks in the shore and then it gradually erodes.
They also said that no one has the courage to speak out against sand lifting. If we talk about all this, we have to leave the area. Citing an example, they said that a year and a half ago, the Kapasia Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) came to inspect the sand trade office but he was insulted and humiliated. The two owners denied sand lifting to UNO and have shown receipts for purchase of sand from other places.
About 7 years ago, Messrs. Saikat Traders was set up along the river bank by the former president of Singhashree Union Awami League. Shafiqul Islam Kiyan . On the whole, he told Barta24.com that even though the river eroded as a result of sand extraction, he never extracted sand from the river. I bought sand from Toke area. Sand was extracted from here 10 years ago.
Claiming that he did not know the Balumahal Act, he said, ‘If this law is in force, I will move the Balumahal elsewhere.’ I am not above the law. All the sand trade centers are on the banks of the river. For this, mine is also on the bank of the river. The sand trade centers next to the Singhshree camp are located on the banks of the river. That has been going on for 4-5 years before I set up my trade center. There the bank is eroded and falling into the river. My center is about 800 feet away from the river.
He added that the sand was bought from other places and unloaded in the river and the sand was transferred to the center through pipes. Million Cft. Of sands are being extracted every day at the tip of the administration's nose in and around Kapasia Upazila Sadar. Does not they know anything there. We extract a little sand. Which are used in the developmental work of the government. If the Balumahals at the tip of the administration's nose are closed, mine will also be closed.
He alleged that most of the sand extraction from the Shitalakhya river was in the Gafargaon and Bormee areas of Sreepur. Crores of Takas worth of sands are extracted from rivers in the region every year. The sand extraction dredger was stopped after a few days by the Kapasia administration. But in less than three days, they were revived by an invisible force.
He further said that if sand extraction was stopped permanently, many houses in our area would be eroded and river erosion would be reduced. I will close the sand business if necessary to prevent river erosion and in the interest of peace in the area. But is there any guarantee that the sand extraction will stop as soon as I close the business?
Regarding the dispute with UNO, he said, "I have fallen due to the dispute with UNO."
And on the bank of the river Messrs. Member Qadir Enterprise sand trade center has been set up by Mahbub Ali. ‘I don't extract sand’, he told Barta24.com. I haven't had a dredger here for six months. And the sale of sand has been stopped for three months. And the land of the sand trade center is ours. As it is in the grip of demolition, we have basically applied for the construction of an embankment.
Although he claimed that the sand trade center is 2 years old, Shafiqul Islam Kiya said that this sand center has been running for more than 10 years. In this context, he said, my own place is falling into the river. I am trying to get it back. He said he did not know the Balumahal Act and would not lift sand. I would leave this business.
Water Development Board water reporter and local resident Moktar Hossain Talukder told Barta24.com that his father Dr. Abdus Samad Talukder wrote a letter to the Ministry to prevent river erosion and protect agricultural land. It was recommended by the then Member of Parliament for Gazipur-3 constituency Rahmat Ali. The then Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud directed the Director General of Water Development Board (WDB) to take necessary steps but it was not implemented in 5 years.
‘Where I used to play football in the childhood, it is now a river,’ he added. Not just the river - this part is now in the middle of the river. Advising to prevent river erosion, he said, if CC block or geo bags are set on the bank, it will be possible to prevent river erosion easily. He urged the government to be proactive in this regard.
Mofiz Uddin, an elderly from Vitipara village, told Barta24.com that many people in his area, including Shukkur, Montaz, Almas, Tajuddin and Rehan Uddin, have left the area becoming destitute due to river erosion.
T know the overall situation when Kapasia Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mosa. Ismat Ara contacted, she told Barta24.com that raids have been carried out here before. Raids will be launched again soon.
In this regard, Vijay Indra Shankar Chakraborty, Executive Engineer, Operation and Maintenance (WDB), Water Development Board, Narsingdi, told Barta24.com, ‘We will form a technical committee if a local people's representative submits a DO letter to the State Minister.’
Then, according to the report of the committee, the project will be adopted and its implementation will start. Once the erosion area is identified and protective measures are taken by the CC block, it lasts for about 30 years.
He said the project was not launched in five years despite the request of the locals and the recommendation of the local people's representatives. In 2018 I joined here. The matter has not come to my notice so far.
He advised that the application was made a long time ago. If the with the new MP's recommendation is applied to the along with the State Minister of water resources, the work will be implemented quickly.
He further said that as per the directives of the Prime Minister, protective work will be done all over Bangladesh under the Ministry of Water Resources. At the same time the project is being taken up by identifying the risky embankments and risky places. In that case, necessary steps will be taken in the light of the updated DO letter of the MP.