A riverbank protection dam built at a cost of Tk 25 crore in Kalia upazila of Narail is being swallowed by erosion from the Nabaganga River, putting several villages at risk. More than 500 families living along the riverbank now fear losing their homes.
The erosion is also threatening Mahajan Bazar, an ancient commercial hub with a history of several hundred years, along with nearby schools, hospitals, religious institutions, and other key structures.
Local residents say they have repeatedly appealed to authorities and even organized human chains demanding urgent action. However, they claim no effective measures have been taken so far.
According to locals, the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) planned decades ago to construct a permanent riverbank protection dam to safeguard the area and nearby settlements.
In 2005, the BWDB began construction of a 1.9-kilometre permanent protection dam along the Nabaganga River from Mahajan Uttarpara to Ghashibaria in Kalia. The project was completed in early 2011 at a cost of about Tk 25 crore.
However, significant erosion has been reported along the dam for the past four years, with several sections gradually collapsing into the river.
Residents such as Swapna Saha, Parul Bala, and Champa Saha say they are living in constant fear as the river continues to move closer to their homes. Like hundreds of other families along the riverbank, they are uncertain where they will go if the erosion worsens.
Abhijit Kumar Saha, Executive Engineer of the Narail District Water Development Board, said the protection dam was built many years ago and has not been renovated since. He added that illegal sand extraction from the river has contributed to the erosion.
The Nabaganga River is about 200 kilometres long, of which around 42 kilometres flow through Narail district.
