Week-long rain adds only a little flow to Lalmonirhat rivers

Only a week ago, all the 18 rivers, including Teesta and Dharla, in Lalmonirhat were completely dried up and had a bad impact in the livelihood of locals as well as agriculture and environment.

Although these rivers got a little flow of water due to rain for the last one week, a large portion of the Teesta and Dharla riverbeds still remain dry due to lack of water from the upstream.

As the two main rivers Teesta and Dharla are completely dried up people depended on these rivers are compelled to change their profession.

Besides, people are seen crossing the rivers either on foot or vehicles as vast chars (landmass emerging from riverbed) have developed in those riverbeds. 

According to Lalmonirhat Water Development Board (WDB) combined length of these 18 rivers is around 385 kilometres, including the Teesta about 80 kilometres and the Dharla about 50 kilometres.

Of the 16 small rivers, Swarnamati, Singimari, Saniyazan, Sakoya, Sati, Bhateshwari and Trimohini are branches of the Teesta river, while Khatumara, Khana, Khapra, Giridhari, Chenakola, Dewla, Baish Dharla, Ratnai and Sangoli are branches of the Dharla river.

Lalmonirhat WDB Executive Engineer Abdullah Al Mamun said as the two major rivers Teesta and Dharla were without flow only a week ago, their branches were also dried up.

As the two main rivers received a little water flow from the recent rainfall their branches also got a little water but their major portiond are still dry, the engineer said.

“The Teesta, which is usually 2.5 kilometres wide, is currently reduced to about 30 metres with water only one feet-deep, he said adding that they sent a proposal to the authorities concerned last month for conducting dredging in Teesta and Dharla rivers.

Farmer Mobarak Hossain, 65, of Kalmati village in Sadar upazila, said, “People living in the char areas would not face poverty if the rivers remain flowing round the year.”

Lalmonirhat Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Deputy Director (DD) Bidhubhushan Roy said due to the dried up rivers, if the farmers in char and river basin areas don't purchase irrigation water from commercial pump operators all their crops will die.

 The extra irrigation cost will increase their production cost and farmers in the area will not be able to make profit, the DD said.  

Shamsul Islam, 55, of Teesta river basin Mahipur area in Kaliganj upazila, said, “Although we got a little flow of water in the Teesta due to the recent rainfall, it is too scanty for us.”

On the other hand, it is really bad news for boatmen like Nazrul Islam of Dharla river basin Bowalmari Ghat in Sadar upazila, who finds himself completely unemployed. 

Boatman Jahangir Alam, 45, of Dawabari Ghat in Hatibandha upazila, said they have kept their boats idle on the riverbed and are searching alternative job for their livelihood.

“The dried up rivers, mainly Teesta, hits our ancestral profession badly,” said Manoranjon Das, 62, of Daspara village in Hatibandha upazila.

Mamunur Rashid, environment and agriculture coordinator of RDRS Bangladesh, a non-governmental organisation, said dried up rivers cause serious fall of underground water, which is harmful for agriculture as well as environment.