'1385 hectares of land will be devoured in next one year'

This was predicted by the Centre for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS), an independent analysis wing of the water resources ministry, at a seminar in the city yesterday.

The CEGIS also predicted that a total of 2970 metres area of five embankments at Goadaha in Kurigram, Kanchipara in Gaibandha, Kutubpur in Bogra, Shuvagacha and Changacha in Sirajganj districts might be eroded during the period.

"Besides, a total of 21 educational institutions including 12 government primary schools, six non-government primary schools, two high schools and two madrasas are also vulnerable to erosion within the next one year," said CEGIS Head Morphologist Mominul Haque Sarker while presenting the erosion prediction report on Brahmaputra-Jamuna river at the seminar.

The CEGIS organised the seminar titled 'Erosion Monitoring and Prediction 2006' at its Gulshan central office in the capital.

The prediction report was prepared using the time-series of satellite images.

Mominul Haque identified 29 vulnerable locations along the 240-kilometre-long river in his prediction report. Of them 16 are located on the right bank and 13 on the left bank of the river.

Of the vulnerable locations, eight are in Kurigram, five in Gaibandha, two in Bogra, eight in Sirajganj, one in Pabna, two in Jamalpur and three in Tangail districts," he added.

Mominul also said about 780 metres of district road, 2490 metres of upazila road and 3490 metres of rural road are also vulnerable to erosion.

Three bazars- Sinria Bazar at Fulchhari upazila in Gaibandha, Khas Kawla Bazar at Chauhali upazila in Sirajganj and Ananda Bazar at Islampur upazila in Jamalpur districts, two health complexes- Khokshabari Health Complex in Sirajganj Sadar and Harindhara Community Clinic in Islampur upazila, and one government T&T board office at Chauhali upazila in Sirajganj are most vulnerable to devour in next one year," Mominul added.

Speaking as chief guest Syed Mohammad Zobaer, secretary to water resources ministry, said this prediction will help the government and other related organisations to take necessary measures for maintaining existing bank protection structures, and reducing community sufferings.

Sharif Rafiqul Islam, director general of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), said it is very difficult to predict the bank erosion because main rivers including Jamuna, Ganges and Padma are highly dynamic.

Water Resources Planing Organisation (WARPO) Director General HS Mozadded Faruque presided over the seminar where CEGIS Director (Application) Mujibul Huq, WARPO Principal Scientific Officer Arzel Hossain Khan and representatives of different stakeholders were also present.