About 600 families in Gazaria upazila of Munshiganj district are going to be paupers, as indiscriminate sand lifting from the Meghna worsened river erosion in the area. The river has already devoured a number of homesteads and farmland.
The erosion-hit villages are Sheikhdi, Ghatpara, Kazipura, Charnasti and Ashradi. Villager Abul Kalam told daily sun that if the sand lifting continued unabated, two cluster villages, two markets, five primary schools, 11 mosques and madrasas and hundreds of acres of farmland in the areas would disappear into the river.
A company earlier took lease of the area from the government for sand lifting.
While visiting the areas, this correspondent found that the indiscriminate sand lifting worsened the situation.
Mazedul Hossain, Kazipura union council member, submitted an application to the district deputy commissioner on behalf of the villagers seeking cancellation of the lease in a bid to lessen the damages being done by the river.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Azizul Alam told this correspondent that they had received an application from the villagers and the authorities would take necessary steps to this end soon.
The administration, however, had formed a three-member committee to investigate the matter, he added.
daily sun
