Over 100 homes at risk as Surma erodes Sunamganj village

Severe erosion by the River Surma has put Kamadharpur village in Jamalganj upazila of Sunamganj on the verge of extermination, with more than 100 houses, a mosque and several business establishments at risk, locals said.

The river has already swallowed the homes of at least 15 families, forcing many residents to relocate. Those still living in the village are spending sleepless nights fearing further erosion. Situated on the banks of the Surma in Fenarbank union, Kamadharpur is an agriculture-dependent village. It has more than 100 households, a Jama Masjid, a rural market and around 70 permanent and semi-permanent shops.

Residents said the erosion has already washed away houses, trees and playgrounds, while the boundary wall of the village mosque has collapsed. They warned that without urgent protection measures, the remaining parts of the village could soon disappear into the river.

The erosion has also affected several other villages in the upazila, including Jamlabaj, Gazaria, Alipur, Amanipur, Nidhipur and Bishnupur, threatening homes, markets and other establishments along the Surma River. Affected residents urged the government to take immediate steps to protect their homes, mosque and marketplace.

"The river has already devoured many houses and the mosque is now at risk. If the erosion continues, our village will not survive much longer," said local resident Afzal Hossain.

Another resident, Humayun Mia, said many families could be forced to leave their ancestral homes if erosion control measures are not taken soon.

Local Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Md Zulfikar Chowdhury Rana said river erosion has left many families struggling after losing their ancestral homes and warned that more than 100 houses and the village mosque remain under threat.

Executive Engineer of the Sunamganj Water Development Board (WDB) Mamun Hawlader said a project proposal to protect Kamadharpur and other erosion-prone villages along the River Surma would be prepared soon and sent to the higher authorities for approval.