Hundreds of families in Munshiganj’s Louhajang upazila are spending sleepless nights after sections of a newly constructed Padma River protection embankment collapsed.
The Tk 527.5 crore project, designed as a permanent 9.10-kilometer shield against erosion, began crumbling in the Gaondia area just a month and a half after completion. Due to strong river currents, numerous concrete blocks shifted on Sunday afternoon, vanishing into the riverbed without prior warning.
The sudden breach has sparked panic and outrage among locals, many of whom have previously lost their homes to the Padma. Residents are urgently relocating their belongings and questioning the project's construction quality and materials.
“We lost everything to erosion 30 years ago,” said local resident Md. Sagar. “This dam was our last hope. Now, if it fails in a month and a half, we don’t know where to go.”
Local officials and the Water Development Board (WDB) have responded to the crisis. Louhajang Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Farzana Bobby Mitu inspected the site on Monday, July 13. WDB Sub-Divisional Engineer Sheikh Enamul Haque assured residents that emergency repairs are underway, stating that officials are on the scene and there is no immediate reason to panic.
However, the public remains skeptical. Locals are demanding an investigation into potential design flaws and corruption, fearing the upcoming monsoon rains will cause further devastation. The project, intended to protect riverbanks downstream of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge, was originally scheduled for completion in 2025 but has faced significant delays.
