Demanding immediate action to stop the Meghna River's devastating erosion in the Shibpur and Medua unions, over 200 local residents laid siege to the Bhola Water Development Board (WDB) office today.
The protest began around 11:00 am on Tuesday (June 16) in front of the WDB Division-1 office in Bhola’s Jugirghol area. Residents from Bhola Sadar and Daulatkhan upazilas initially blocked the road. Despite a police barricade at the gate, protesters pushed their way into the WDB compound, chanting slogans and demanding accountability.
The hour-long demonstration concluded only after Md. Zia Uddin Arif, Executive Engineer of Bhola WDB Division-1, addressed the crowd. He assured the residents that a proposal to construct a permanent Cement Concrete (CC) block dam for Shibpur and Medua is currently awaiting government approval, which he expects to receive within the coming month.
Protesters, including locals Md. Al Amin and Md. Miraj, painted a grim picture of the ongoing crisis. They stated that prolonged erosion has already swallowed parts of the Bhola Canal, local fishing ghats, vast tracts of cropland, and numerous homes.
"The WDB threw geo-bags into the river, but it entirely failed to stop the erosion," the protesters explained. "We have demanded a permanent CC block dam for a long time, but the board took no real action until we surrounded their office today."
The residents agreed to suspend their protests based on the Executive Engineer's assurance but issued a clear warning: if visible administrative action is not taken within 30 days, they will launch a stricter, large-scale movement.
