Residents of Monniar Char village in Belgacha Union under Islampur upazila of Jamalpur are living in fear as the mighty Jamuna River continues to erode its banks with alarming intensity. Over the past several days, the unseasonal river erosion stretching nearly three kilometers has already devoured a mosque, around 100 acres of cropland, more than 400 houses, and several other establishments.
According to locals, the severe erosion now threatens properties and institutions worth millions, including solar panels valued at Tk 8 crore, Monnia Government Primary School, Monnia High School, South Monnia Government Primary School, four madrasas, eight mosques, croplands, and numerous residential and public structures. They warn that if immediate measures are not taken, Monniar Char could soon disappear from the map. Several nearby villages have already been lost to the Jamuna’s erosion in previous years. Locals have urged the authorities to take urgent and sustainable action to halt the devastation.
Amzad Hossain, head teacher of Monnia High School, said the river is now only a few hundred yards from the school. “If no emergency measures are taken, this historic institution, where around 250 students study, could vanish within days. Losing this school would severely affect education in the area,” he said.
Student Shakil Ahmed expressed concern that their final examinations are just a month away. “If our school collapses, our studies will suffer terribly,” he said. Similar fears were echoed by ninth-grade students Dishamoni and Shahid Mia.
Shamsunnahar Khanam, head teacher of South Monnia Government Primary School, said the river is also just a few hundred yards from her school, which has over 100 students. “We need a permanent solution to the erosion problem,” she said.
Former Belgacha Union Parishad Chairman Abdul Khalek Akand said the untimely river erosion has already caused extensive damage. “If no steps are taken immediately, multiple government and private institutions, croplands, and homes will soon be swallowed by the river,” he warned.
Local Union Parishad member Momtaz Akand shared her own experience, saying her home was destroyed by the Jamuna just a few months ago. “We are barely managing to survive. If this erosion continues, countless homes, schools, and farmlands will vanish into the river,” she said.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Touhidur Rahman said the matter has already been reported to the Water Development Board (WDB), and the affected areas will be inspected for immediate action.
Executive Engineer of the Jamalpur Water Development Board, Md Nakibuzzaman, said that a feasibility study has been completed to address erosion in Monnia and surrounding areas. “We will soon submit the report, after which higher authorities will implement sustainable measures to control the erosion,” he added.
