Thousands of people in disaster-prone Satkhira, Khulna and Bagerhat districts are worried as 51-km flood of the protection embankment has turned vulnerable.
The worry grows as Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has recently predicted cyclonic storms in May and June months in Khulna region.
About 51 kilometers of embankment out of 2,006 kilometers in the three districts are in dilapidated condition.
Local residents said even if the cyclone doesn’t hit the region, the embankment may collapse with the rise of water levels in rivers during monsoon.
They said if the local administration takes initiative to repair the vulnerable portion of the embankment immediately, it would be possible to complete the work within short time and at low cost.
Usually the authorities concerned become active in monsoon, resulting in high repair cost and poor quality work.
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Sources said the repair work of the last fiscal year is still underway under direct procurement method(DPM) and the contractor concerned alleged that due to lack of soil in time is the main reason behind the delay in repairing the dam.
Karim Sardar, a resident of Koyra upazila’s Madinabad village, said cracks have been developed on both sides of the Kashiabad sluice gate due to pressure of river water but the Water Development Board did not take any initiative in this regard. The dam collapses each year due to the negligence on the part of the authorities concerned.”
Rezaul Karim, a resident of Gobra village in the upazila, said the dam may collapse any time and if it occurs then 20-30 villages including the upazila headquarters will be flooded.
Abdur Rahman, executive engineer of Water Development Board, Khulna Division-1, said 10.5 kilometer areas out of 365.24 km areas of the dam are in vulnerable condition under his zone.
Besides, 630 km of the flood protection embankment in Koyra, Dakope, Paikgachha and Batiaghata upazilas are under Water Development Board, Khulna Division-2. Of these, 12 km is at risk of collapse.
Contacted, executive engineer of the division Ashraful Alam said the repair work is underway.
Besides, Md Salauddin, executive engineer of Satkhira Division-1 of Water Development Board, said 5 km of 380 km is vulnerable while eight km out of 293 km under Satkhira Division-2 is under threat.
Asikur Rahman, executive engineer of Satkhira Division-2 said the vulnerable portion of the embankment will be repaired soon.
Abu Raihan Mohammad Al Biruni, executive engineer of Bagerhat Water Development Board, said 15 km of 338 km embankment in this district is on the verge of collapse.
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The authorities concerned failed to start renovation work due to lack of allocation, he said.
Besides, a 185 km dam should be constructed in Sharankhola, Morrelganj, Rampal and Mongla upazilas of the district, he added.
Meanwhile, the embankments in four out of seven unions in Koyra upazila are now at high risk.
Ashraful Alam, executive engineer of Water Development Board Khulna-2, said lists of vulnerable portions of the embankment were sent to the ministry concerned but it takes long time for approval.