Flood control embankments and river banks have broken at 23 places on the Halda river and its tributaries, the Dhurung and the Sarta, in Fatikchhari upazila of Chattogram, under the force of recent hill run-off, excessive rain and floodwater. Farmland, rural roads and embankments have been extensively damaged. With erosion continuing, several thousand people are spending their days in fear of fresh flooding and of losing their homesteads. The Chattogram Water Development Board (WDB) has taken up emergency repairs along 1,250 metres of the damaged stretch.
According to the water board, a total of 2,420 metres of river bank and flood control embankment was damaged in various areas of Fatikchhari in the 2026 flood. Of that, 1,095 metres was damaged on the Halda river, 1,205 metres on the Dhurung and 120 metres on the Sarta. The department concerned estimates that repairing these sites may initially cost about 9 crore 83 lakh taka.
Severe erosion has appeared on the Halda at Pathiyalchhari in Haruyalchhari union, at Chandgazi Talukdar Bari in Farhadabad in Nazirhat municipality, and at North Sundarpur in Narayanhat union. River banks have also collapsed on the Dhurung at Khayrati Para in Berajali in Paindong union, in ward 9 of Fatikchhari municipality, and at Manikpur in Kanchannagar union. Erosion continues on the Sarta on the east side of Hachchharghat in Khiram union, at Madhyam Khiram Nurnagarpara, on the east side of Goaz Mohammad Bari and in the old graveyard area. Local people say about 10 acres of farmland have already been swallowed by the rivers in these areas. Along with farmland, flood control embankments and rural roads have been damaged in several places by the erosion.
An elderly resident of the Farhadabad area, Mohammad Ali, 80, said the embankment on the Halda breaks every year. The water board repairs it temporarily, he said, but the fear returns with every monsoon. Unless there is a permanent solution, the suffering will not ease.
A resident of the Khiram area, Montu Nath, said long-term measures are needed to stop erosion on the Sarta. The same problem has continued year after year, he said, without any effective steps in sight.
A resident of Paindong union, Doulat Mia, said erosion started suddenly on the Dhurung with the hill run-off. The water board has inspected and measured the damaged sites, he said, and they are now waiting for permanent protection work to be carried out quickly.
The sub-divisional engineer of the Chattogram Water Development Board, Md Sohag Talukder, said about 2,420 metres of embankment and river bank were damaged at 23 places on the Halda and its tributaries, the Dhurung and the Sarta, in Fatikchhari in the 2026 flood. Emergency repair work has been taken up along about 1,250 metres of it. The process of including the remaining stretch in this financial year’s development programme is under way.
The Fatikchhari upazila nirbahi officer, Sayeed Mohammad Ibrahim, said the erosion is under close observation by the administration. Information on the damaged areas has been sent to the departments concerned. Necessary steps are being taken in coordination with the water board to protect people’s lives and property.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report