Sonagazi, Oct 24 (V7N)- Intense river erosion along the Small Feni River continues to wreak havoc in the border areas of Noakhali's Companyganj and Feni's Sonagazi upazilas. Over the past few months, riverbanks have been rapidly eroding, leading to the destruction of agricultural land, fruit orchards, roads, and hundreds of homes, as large sections of land have disappeared into the river.

Local residents are growing increasingly desperate as the erosion worsens. Villagers have reported that many homes and properties have been swallowed by the river, and the situation is only expected to deteriorate if no preventive measures are taken. The absence of a regulator at Muchapur has been identified as a major cause, as tidal waters from the sea are freely entering the Small Feni River, intensifying the erosion in Sonagazi’s Chandia, Char Darvesh, Bagdana, and Majlishpur unions.

Aurarkhil village, in particular, has been hit hard by the erosion. Villagers have been forced to dismantle their homes and move to safer areas. Khalilur Rahman, a resident of the village, expressed his despair, saying, "Our house was once 1.5 kilometers from the river, but now it’s almost gone. Every day, more land disappears."

Many other villagers echoed his concerns. Renu Begum, a resident of Aurarkhil, said, "We’ve lost everything to the river. Many families are now homeless, yet no permanent solution has been taken to stop the erosion."

The situation in Dubla Char, located within the Sundarbans, is similarly dire. Strong winds and tidal surges have caused widespread damage to homes and infrastructure. Locals have been cutting down trees and filling sandbags in an attempt to protect their homes, but these efforts have so far proven insufficient.

Despite the growing crisis, no effective government intervention has yet been implemented to stop the erosion. Locals are urging the authorities to take immediate and permanent action before more homes and livelihoods are lost. Meghnath Chandra Roy, president of the local Durga Mandir and Society Committee, called for quick intervention from the Water Development Board, stressing that many families have lost everything.

Kamrul Hassan, the Upazila Executive Officer of Sonagazi, acknowledged the severity of the situation, confirming that river erosion has worsened following the collapse of the Muchapur regulator. "We have already informed the district administration and the Water Development Board, and we are waiting for swift action to prevent further damage," he said.

As the threat of further erosion looms, local residents remain anxious, with many fearing they will lose their homes in the coming weeks.

END/MKB/AJ