Silt blockage raises flood threat in Bhabadah's 5 rivers

Five rivers- Harihar, Upper Bhadra, Hari, Ghangrail, and Buribhadra-are experiencing siltation, leading to inadequate drainage. As a result, heavy monsoon rains could potentially inundate millions living in these basins, according to leaders of the country's flood control committee.

The Water Development Board warns of flooding in nine upazilas of Jashore, Khulna, and Satkhira. According to them, the main drainage river is 18 km from Bhabadah in Jashore. Without dredging, flooding is inevitable in the areas during the monsoon. Additionally, 40 km of the Harihar River, 18 km of Upper Bhadra, and 12 km of Buri Bhadra are filled with 5 feet of silt. Harindi is also silted, and the Ghangrail river is filled up to the Chatchatia bridge downstream of the Kharnia bridge.

The Hari-Ghangrail river basin water resource management committee said that the Water Development Board has constructed 80 sluice gates along with canals and rivers. These gates drain water from 1,05,000 hectares. However, most of these sluice gates are ineffective due to river siltation.

Siddiqur Rahman, general secretary of the Hari-Ghangrail river basin area's flood control committee, said, "Meetings and gatherings persist in advocating for TRM operations in the area. Future initiatives will be announced to shape public opinion."

Mahir Uddin Biswas, President of the Hari-Ghangrail River basin area's flood control committee, said, "Failure to dredge the Harihar River, along with its tributaries Hari, Upper Bhadra, Buribhadra, and Ghangrail, before the monsoon season will result in flooding in Keshabpur, Manirampur, Abhaynagar, Dumuria, Phultala, and the northern part of Tala upazila during intense monsoon rainfall."

"Without a water drainage system, approximately 10 lakh people in these areas will lack access to water. Additionally, maintaining river flow requires the implementation of river tidal management (TRM) along the riverbanks. In the absence of TRM, solely dredging the river won't suffice to address waterlogging in the area," he added.

Advocate Abubakkar Siddique, convenor of Keshabpur Upazila of the Bhabadah Water Drainage Committee, said, "If the river is not dredged before the next monsoon, vast areas of Keshabpur and adjacent upazilas will be inundated. The people of this area will fall into great trouble. The farmers of the area have to suffer due to the huge loss of crops."

"Identifying the present rivers and streams has become challenging due to debris accumulation. Unless pollution is cleared, restoring the rivers' beauty is unattainable," he added.

He also claimed that without TRM implementation along a bank adjacent to the Hari river in the Bhavdah area, the people of this locality will remain susceptible to floods.

Suman Sikdar, a sub-divisional engineer of the Water Development Board, said, "The Hari River, along with 40 km of the Harihar River, 18 km of the Upper Bhadra, and 12 km of the Buri Bhadra, has accumulated silt. Failure to dredge these rivers before the monsoon season could lead to flooding in the river basin. Authorities at higher levels have been notified of the dredging of these rivers."

Being unsure about the immediate dredging of all these rivers, he said, "It's been decided to dredge 10 km upstream from the 21 Band Sluice Gate of Bhabadaha."

However, the Water Drainage Committee continues to hold meetings to form public opinion and demand the implementation of TRM and river excavation in the area.