Residents of Faridpur’s Alfadanga Upazila formed a human chain on Thursday demanding the immediate construction of a permanent embankment to halt devastating erosion by the Madhumati River.
Organised by locals from the Charkholabaria and Dignagar villages, the protest highlighted the urgent threat to homesteads, agricultural lands and vital community infrastructure.
Severe riverbank erosion is swallowing arable land daily. Key establishments—including Charkholabaria Government Primary School, Al-Hera Dakhil Madrasa, Dignagar Government Primary School, local mosques, graveyards and a post office are currently on the verge of being washed away.
Speakers at the human chain warned that hundreds of families face imminent displacement and extreme poverty if they lose their properties. They stressed that temporary fixes are no longer acceptable and urged the government to execute a permanent and sustainable river management plan.
"Our settlements are shrinking day by day due to the ferocious Madhumati. If immediate action is not taken then we will lose our homes and our children's schools" local leaders warned. Prominent community figures including madrasa superintendent Maulana Abdur Rob and headmaster Md. Alamgir Khan addressed the gathering to voice their grievances.
Responding to the crisis Rakib Hossain the Executive Engineer of the local Water Development Board stated that emergency measures are being deployed.
"We are currently placing geo-bags to prevent further erosion" he said, assuring residents that efforts are also underway to secure official approval for a permanent embankment project to save the vulnerable villages.
