Erosion threatens ferry terminal in Pirojpur

The ferry terminal at Kumirmara point of Kumirmara-Bekutia ferry route in Pirojpur Sadar upazila is under threat as the Kacha River has devoured a large portion of the terminal area.

Facing the threat of imminent erosion, three shopkeepers of the terminal area were forced to remove their shops on Friday and Saturday, said Md Shahin Sheikh, whose shop is under threat.

"I am witnessing erosion of the riverside at Kumirmara village since my childhood. At least one and a half kilometres of land of Kumirmara village has gone into the Kacha Riverbed during the last several years," said Abdul Khalek, 75, a resident of Kumirmara village and serves at a mosque there.

"The Water Development Board should take immediate steps to save the terminal area from devouring by the Kacha," said Abul Kalam, 62, a local.

Sayeed Ahammed, executive engineer of WDB in Pirojpur, said, "The erosion at Kumirmara ferry terminal has taken a circular shape. The terminal is facing erosion as river waves hit the land repeatedly."

"The land loosens due to setting of long iron fasteners at the terminal for keeping the pontoon fixed and it leads to river erosion in the terminal area. The Water Development Board has plan for taking steps to check erosion at Kumirmara ferry terminal," he said.