Lakshmipur’s Boyarchar shrinking fast under relentless Meghna erosion

Relentless erosion by the Meghna and Bhulua rivers has put Boyarchar in Ramgati upazila on the brink, leaving nearly 1 lakh residents worried about losing their homes and land.
The erosion has continued even after the monsoon, alarming residents who fear that the remaining parts of the char could be submerged before the next rainy season. During this year's monsoon, several sections of the embankment from Ramgati Bridge Ghat to Chairman Ghat were damaged. More than 200 houses were washed away after a section near the Swiss Gate collapsed. 
The Water Development Board subsequently placed geo-bags as an emergency measure. Locals said the char's road network, bridges and culverts are in poor condition, while weak mobile and internet connectivity leaves residents vulnerable during storms and floods. 
They also alleged that the area faces incidents of theft, robbery, kidnapping and other crimes. Roksana Akhter, a local resident, said her family had lost its cropland and homes to erosion three times and was now living in a tin-roofed house.
Locals alleged that over the past two decades, around 10 kilometres of land in the area has been washed away, taking croplands, homes, shops, roads and other infrastructure with it.
A local Abdul Kader said, “The last resources of the people of Boyarchar are disappearing into the river. The Water Development Board should arrange a sustainable embankment to protect the char.”
Rashedul Islam Aziz alleged that political leaders repeatedly make promises during elections but take no effective measures afterward.
Sheikh Farid, a Ward 5 member of Chargazi Union Parishad, said Boyarchar had been recognised as part of Ramgati upazila by a court verdict, but political tensions had prevented a permanent resolution to the administrative problems.
“We are now distraught over river erosion. We demand immediate steps to protect our char,” he said.
Md Ibrahim Khalil Didar, a Ward 9 member of the union parishad, said the neglected township could disappear from the country's map if effective measures were not taken soon.
Lakshmipur Water Development Board Executive Engineer Md Nurul Islam said Boyarchar was experiencing severe erosion by the Meghna. “A project named Sabujpata is awaiting approval to take sustainable measures against the erosion. An allocation of Tk920.26 crore has been sought under the project to protect Boyarchar,” he said.