River Nabaganga in its death throes

Continued encroachment on bank blamed

Delwar Kabir . Jhenidah, NewAge, April 23, 2009

The River Nabaganga in Jhenidah is in its death throes because of the continued encroachment on the bank of the river by a section of influential persons.
   

Land grabbers, after making houses along the bank of the river, are indiscriminately cutting earth of the bank for sale, local sources said. 
   

Although cutting of the river bank at different points continues unabated, the district administration remains silent over the matter, they alleged. 
   

The only river in the district has dried up at Mathurapur and Parmathurapur points under district sadar upazila because of the continued encroachment on the river bank. 

As a result, the people living in the nearby villages suffer a lot as their houses and crop lands go under river water every monsoon, local people said.
   

During a visit, our correspondent found that many houses and several markets have been built along the river bank at different places. 
   

Some people were seen cutting the earth of the river bank. 
   

At present, cutting of the river bank continues in different points covering Gilabaria, Mathurapur villages under sadar upazila and Chandpur, Hakimpur, Daulatpur and Gobordanga under Harinakunda upazila of the district.
   

The land grabbers are influential persons in the locality and so, no body dares to speak against them,’ Aktar Hossain, a resident of village Mathurapur, said. 
   

‘If cutting of the river bank continues, the river will lose its existence in near future,’ he added.
   

The convener of the district environment and animal protection committee Masud Ahmed Sanju told New Age that they had submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner two times urging steps against illegal earth cutting.. 
   

But the authorities concerned are yet to pay any heed to their plea, Masud said. 
   

‘The committee will go for strong movement if the authorities do not take immediate steps to save the river from the land grabbers,’ he added.
   

Earlier, officials at the district administration said they would soon take steps against the encroachers.