Jhalokathi, Oct 15 (V7N) – Severe riverbank erosion along the Bishkhali River has engulfed large portions of Manki and Sundar villages in the northeastern border area of Rajapur upazila, Jhalokathi district. Houses, farmlands, schools, and memories of generations are being wiped away by the river’s relentless current, yet no effective protection measures have been taken to prevent the ongoing destruction.

Sundar village, once home to dozens of families under the Mathbari Union, is now nearly extinct. Most of its houses, croplands, and local institutions have already disappeared beneath the river. Only a single house remains, marking the last trace of what was once a thriving community.

Residents of Fakirbari in the nearby Napiterhat area have lost their ancestral homes and now live as displaced people. In Manki village, hundreds of families are suffering from severe hardship after losing everything to the river. Many have taken refuge with relatives or in temporary shelters set up by local residents. Day laborers and farmers, who relied on their land for survival, are now facing an uncertain future.

The erosion has intensified over the past several days, particularly in the Manki, Sundar, and Badurtala areas. Each day, new sections of land crumble into the river as the Bishkhali’s strong current pulls away the banks. Locals spend sleepless nights in fear that their remaining homes could collapse into the river at any moment.

Despite repeated appeals to local authorities, residents allege that no significant steps—such as the construction of embankments or the placement of geo-bags—have been taken. Frustration and despair are spreading among those who have lost their land and livelihoods.

“We have lost our homes and farmlands. Now we have nowhere to go,” said one affected villager. “If the government does not take immediate action, the entire Manki village will soon disappear into the river.”

Local community leaders and environmental observers warn that unless an urgent river protection project is initiated, the Manki and Sundar regions of Rajapur may soon vanish from the map of Jhalokathi.

END/AIJ/SMA/