Natural disasters: A story of a rapidly shrinking administrative territory on the coast of Bangladesh
The map of Kamalnagar is getting smaller. In almost 24 years, the size of the upazila (sub-district) has decreased by one-third. 70 thousand people of the upazila have been displaced. Due to the effects of global climate change, the level of natural disasters is increasing all over the world. It has also affected Bangladesh. The people of Kamalnagar Upazila in Lakshmipur, a coastal district of Bangladesh, are constantly struggling with natural calamities. The severe erosion of the Meghna river, high tidal pressure and the effects of salinity have put the people of this upazila at extreme risk.
Maqsood Alam, 42, went from a wealthy householder to a day laborer in just 14 years. He had 80 decimals of land. He used to meet the food needs of the family members by cultivating the land. He used to earn more money by doing other jobs. His house was in Kalkini Union of Kamalnagar Upazila of Laxmipur. In the past few years, the Meghna river has taken everything away from him. He has lost his house to the river four times. Erosion of the river has changed Maqsood Alam's address. Now he is a resident of neighboring Martin Union. Daily earnings have reduced. He is struggling to run the family. Earlier children went to school; Now their education is stopped. Due to the financial crisis of the family, Maqsood sent his three sons Russell Hossain, Sharif Hossain and Arif Hossain to work.
Maqsood Alam was met in Battirkhal area on the banks of Meghna River. It is a fish market. Fishing trawlers from sea and river come here. Maqsood is involved in this fish market. He lives with his family near the fish market. Land is rented out in this area on the banks of Meghna river. People who lost their houses due to river erosion rent land from wealthy people and build houses. Maqsud Alam rented a piece of land for 3 thousand taka per year and built a house.
Maqsood Alam and many others are seen in Battirkhaal area. Abdul Barek, 70, an old resident of Kalkini Union. Now his address is in this Battirkhaal area of ​​Martin Union. He has shifted house five times from his old house in Kalkini. His old house is about seven kilometers away from the present address. That place is now in the middle of Meghna river. Abdul Barek, a victim of natural disasters throughout his life, is completely helpless at his last age. He is going on an uncertain life path.
Chairman of Kalkini Union Parishad Mohammad Saifullah said, `Kalkini Union is wounded by the erosion of the river. Out of the 9 wards of the Union, three wards (wards Nos. 6, 7, and 8) were completely lost to river erosion. Three wards (wards 5, 4 and 9) are partially submerged in the river. Now only three full wards (1st, 2nd and 3rd ward) are left. In the new census this year, the population of the union has decreased from 35 thousand to 12 thousand. As a result, the allocation of the union will also decrease.’
Among the other unions of Kamalnagar upazila (sub-district), Saheberhat is the worst affected. Now only 15% of that union remains. Due to river erosion, Char Falkon Union and Patirirhat Union are left with 45%. Besides Char Laurence Union 85% percent, Char Martin Union 95% remaining. Hajihat, Char Kadira and Torabganj Union of the upazila have not been affected by river erosion here.
According to sources, the area of ​​Kamalnagar upazila, located 25 km south of Lakshmipur district headquarters, was 315 square kilometers. The upazila has shrunk by at least 70 square kilometers in two eras due to the erosion of the Meghna river. Now the remaining area of ​​Kamalnagar is 245 square kilometers. The population of the upazila was 2 lakh 22 thousand 915 people. At least 70,000 people have been displaced due to river erosion. Many of the displaced people have taken shelter in different areas of the upazila. Many have moved to big cities in search of livelihood.
Thousands of Parul Bibi are crying silently
Parul Bibi, affected by the erosion of the Meghna river, said, 'The river has taken everything from me. We have been displaced again and again and now we are down to nothing. An uncertain life awaits us in the future.'
Parul Bibi's husband Noor Islam passed away long ago. As a result, the fight for his life has become more difficult. His life is in danger due to natural calamities. His home is in Kalkini village of Kamalnagar upazila in Lakshmipur district on the coast of Bangladesh. Like many other people of Kalkini village of river erosion, Parul Bibi also lost everything. This woman has been displaced eight times in her life.
I have been seeing the suffering of the people on the banks of the Meghna river on the coast of Bangladesh for decades. This destruction of the river does not stop. There are thousands of Parul Bibi crying silently. No one looks for all lost people. Their voice is not reflected in the plan.
Farooq Hossain, a businessman of Nashirganj market in Kalkini Union, is in debt. He is unable to operate his shop due to the erosion of the river. His own house has to be shifted, shops have to be shifted as the market is facing river erosion. This transfer requires a lot of money. Faruk where to get so much money? The situation is the same for many other traders in Nashirganj market. These people are worried about the future life. Anxiety and uncertainty surround their lives.
Local residents said that the erosion of the Meghna river increases abnormally during the monsoon. Erosion of the river is aggravated by the extra tidal pressure. Many people are displaced every monsoon. However, the Meghna river continues to erode at all times of the year. Kamalnagar and Ramgati upazilas of coastal district Lakshipur of Bangladesh are prone to river erosion. These two upazilas are surrounded by the dreaded Meghna river, which carries away everything of the people.
Living with hope
Maybe the embankment work to protect the Meghna river will start soon. Maybe the erosion of the river will be prevented soon. Generation after generation of Kamalnagar lives on this hope. The affected people of Ramgati and Kamalnagar upazilas have been fighting to prevent the river from breaking for almost 24 years. Erosion is not stopped due to lack of proper government activities to prevent river erosion. There is no integrated plan to protect the banks of Meghna river. As a result, generations after generations live only on hope. They are looking at nature.
Sources say that the work to prevent erosion of the Meghna River from Motirhat to Kamalnagar was first started in 1988. The block embankment was then built 800 meters (a little less than a kilometer). Later, in 2007, a 600 meter (a little over half a kilometer) extension embankment was constructed in Motirhat area of ​​Kalkini Union in Kamalnagar. In 2016, Tk 198 crore was allocated for the construction of embankments to protect the banks of Meghna river in Kamalnagar and Ramgati upazilas. With that money, the embankment was built with blocks in the Ramgati section; No work has been done in the Kamalnagar section. In Kamalnagar in 2017, one kilometer of embankment work was done at a cost of Tk 46 crore. At the same time, in 2018, one more kilometer embankment work was done in Ramgati Bazar. This year, 3100 crore taka have been allocated for the construction of embankment to protect the banks of Meghna river in Kamalnagar. But the work has not yet started. Due to lack of integrated plan to prevent Meghna river erosion, river erosion continues in Kamalnagar.
On the banks of the Meghna in Kamalnagar, the cries of people affected by the breach of the river can be heard. Iqbal Hossain, a businessman of Ludhua Bazar of Char Falcon Union, said, `We have only one demand from the government - take measures to prevent the erosion of the Meghna." But effective measures have not been taken to prevent erosion. We live in hope. Our life ended with hope. Our next generation may also live with hope. We want the initiative of the government to fulfill this hope.’