Bahela Begum’s husband’s house was in Belgacha area of Islampur upazila. The family had everything including agricultural land, cattle. About 25 years ago, the Yamuna river took everything away in one night. Then he built a house in Futanibazar area of Dewanganj upazila. Within a few years, erosion struck there too. Then he came to Dak’s char area. There eight times he took the house from one place to another. Her husband died in between. Later he moved to Kholabari with his children. Kholabari area also suffered three erosions. He said, ‘I lose everything and do chores at people’s houses. Again in the season we pick chillies, we pick corn, we give kamala to cut the soil, we sew kheta (kantha). I am left-handed like this. I want a strong dam and a house in Amgar.’
Recently visited Kholabari area, it can be seen that river erosion is now closed. But signs of erosion are spread around. Paved road is broken. Huge holes have been created by breaking down the vegetation of the settlement. The once huge open market is no more. There is sand now.
The affected people said that half of the Kholabari area has gone under the Yamuna every year due to floods and erosion. There was a huge market in Kholabari area. There were also a few educational institutions, more than three hundred homesteads, hundreds of businesses, hundreds of acres of cropland—all now under the river. Fodder has fallen in the area. This erosion has been going on for about 20 years. This erosion was once about three to four kilometers away. If a permanent dam is not constructed in this area soon, the remaining part of Kholabari will also go under the river during next year’s monsoon.
