Rehabilitation of the Chandpur town protection embankment is progressing under a Tk 827 crore mega project aimed at shielding the riverside town from the relentless erosion of the mighty Meghna, reports UNB.
Despite visible headway, residents remain gripped by uncertainty and fear.
Being implemented by the Water Development Board (WDB), the project is the largest of its kind for the region. So far, geobag dumping work under 15 of the 19 planned packages is nearing completion, with concrete CC block placement currently underway.
Chandpur has long served as a strategic river port, benefiting from robust river, rail and road networks. Its commercial significance dates back to British colonial times. But this prosperity has come at a cost.
During the monsoon, swelling currents from the Padma and Meghna rivers race towards the Bay of Bengal, accelerating erosion along a 40–50 kilometre stretch from Matlab Uttar through Chandpur to Haimchar. The destruction has been devastating.
Over the past five decades, vital infrastructures — including Chandpur's historic Old Market, the main railway station, government buildings, and numerous commercial centres — have been lost to the river.
Between 1973 and 2010, government records show Tk 164.30 crore was spent on emergency erosion protection, primarily using boulders and CC blocks.
But, most of these interventions were temporary and proved inadequate in the face of Meghna's force.
The new project, approved by ECNEC in 2023, is being executed by WDB Chandpur with Dhaka-based RFL Group's Property Development Ltd as the contractor.
According to WDB Executive Engineer Zahurul Islam, the rehabilitation works formally began in November 2023.
"We're currently working on 1.75 kilometres in Natun Bazar and 1.61 kilometres in Purana Bazar," he told UNB.
Besides, he said, about 200 metres along the Dakatiya River — between the two markets — is also being rehabilitated.
Of the 19 total packages, 15 are now active, and project completion is targeted for June 2027. Roughly 15% of the work has been completed so far.
"Each geobag weighs 250 kg. Following their placement, we're now casting 50–45 cm concrete CC blocks for the final layer of protection," Zahurul said.
He also noted that a task force and district administration representatives are monitoring progress on the ground.
Work was briefly interrupted following political changes in August, leading to a four-month halt, but activity has since resumed in full force.
One of the project's most challenging zones is the 'molehead' — the point where the Meghna, Padma, and Dakatiya rivers converge. "The depth here reaches nearly 50 metres and currents can surge at 40 metres per second," said Zahurul. "It's the most vulnerable part of the embankment."
The danger is far from theoretical. The molehead has been the site of multiple tragic ferry disasters, including the MV Dinar sinking in 1993 that killed over 200 people, and the MV Nasrin incidents of 2002–2003, in which nearly 1,000 passengers, mostly from Bhola, perished. Other vessels, such as the MV Digonto, have also sunk in this hazardous stretch. Even in recent times, two tourists lost their lives when their boat capsized in the same area.
Ironically, this treacherous location is also home to Chandpur's main tourism hub, visited by thousands daily.
Still, despite the scope and ambition of the project, local residents remain deeply concerned. Long-time residents like Begum, 60, Narghis, Nurunnahar and others expressed mixed feelings about the work underway.
"We are happy to see progress," said Shah Alam and Golam Mostafa of Natun Bazar, "but we still live in fear, especially during storms. Sandbags and blocks often get swept away or sink into the riverbed."
Veterans of the area, Abul Kalam Azad and Mainul Islam Kishore, recall how river erosion steadily devoured Old Market and Natun Bazar over the decades, forcing banks to relocate and shuttering dozens of salt and flour mills.
"Our only hope is a strong, crack-free embankment from this Tk 827 crore project," said Azad. "Only then can we sleep peacefully at night."
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