Raging erosion along the banks of the Arial Khan River has returned to haunt the residents of Shivchar upazila in Madaripur, threatening vital local infrastructure and leaving thousands of villagers in a state of intense anxiety. A sudden surge in water levels triggered severe bank collapse along the Boheratla-Kolatola stretch, causing extensive damage to a flood protection embankment and the primary road linking the two settlements.
Local residents reported that river levels rose sharply before the bank collapse intensified. Within hours, large sections of earth along the Boheratla-Kolatola embankment gave way and washed away into the current. Simultaneously, a significant portion of the primary road connecting Boheratla Bazaar to Kolatola village collapsed into the riverbed. Villagers fear that unless immediate preventative measures are executed, direct communication between Boheratla Bazaar and surrounding villages will be severed, severing crucial transport lines for the entire area.
The damage to this transport corridor has disrupted daily life across several rural communities. Local resident Kalam Madbor highlighted that hundreds of commuters rely on the road every day. The route serves as the sole transit point for residents of Kolatola and neighbouring villages to reach markets, transport farm produce, access schools and colleges, and seek emergency treatment at medical centres. Students, daily traders, and patients requiring urgent medical attention face immense hardship due to the structural failure.
Adding to the urgency, a local election voting centre in Ward No. 3 of Boheratla South Union now stands merely a few metres from the expanding riverbank. Community leaders warn that if the current rate of erosion continues unchecked, the building hosting the voting centre could sink into the river at any moment.
Riverbank erosion is an ongoing struggle for the inhabitants of Shivchar, who have coped with the unpredictable nature of the Arial Khan River for over a decade. While the construction of an embankment under the direction of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) offered temporary security in recent years, the renewed onset of severe erosion this season has reignited fears of displacement and loss of livelihoods.
Community members attribute the latest wave of destruction to unchecked illegal sand extraction via hydraulic dredgers, alongside unplanned river dredging operations. Local resident Nawab Madbor expressed deep frustration, explaining that after years of enduring displacement, villagers believed the BWDB embankment had secured their properties. However, nocturnal illegal sand mining near the shore has destabilised the riverbed and undermined the protective embankment. Villagers warn that without swift intervention, homesteads will soon be lost to the waters.
In response to the crisis, affected residents have called upon government authorities to implement immediate erosion control measures, halt illegal dredging, and execute urgent repairs on the damaged embankment and road network.
Addressing the situation, Shivchar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) H. M. Ibne Mizan confirmed that the administration has received formal reports regarding the damage along the Arial Khan River. He stated that the Water Development Board has been alerted to the emergency and is expected to deploy protective measures and repair crews within two days. Furthermore, he assured the public that administrative action will be taken to crack down on illegal sand dredgers operating in the area.
