Water gushes into Tanguar Haor as hilly runoff breaches non-official embankment

Local residents say the structure was built for movement, not crop protection

Hilly runoff has breached the Najarkhali embankment at Tanguar Haor in Sunamganj, allowing water to flow into the area.

Local residents said water started entering through the embankment on Saturday morning.

The embankment, however, is not part of the Bangladesh Water Development Board’s (BWDB) designated crop protection system, but rather a structure built by locals for travel purposes.

The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Sunamganj said Boro paddy was cultivated on 1,235 hectares of land in the protected part of Tanguar Haor, and nearly 80 percent of the crop has already been harvested.

Local environmental activist and farmer Ahmad Kabir said, “We repair this embankment ourselves each year.

“During this season, hillside runoff usually causes it to overflow. This morning, water began to pour in and the embankment gave way under pressure.”

“Widespread crop damage is unlikely,” he added. “Only fields where paddy has not yet been harvested may suffer some loss.”

Mamun Howlader, executive engineer at the BWDB’s Sunamganj office said: “No embankment has been built by the Water Development Board at Tanguar Haor

“This one was built by locals for movement during the dry season. As runoff from the hills has increased, water is now flowing over the top.”

Mostafa Azad, deputy director of Sunamganj DAE, said: “Harvesting in the Tanguar Haor area was completed two days ago. A few higher patches remain, but the runoff will not affect them.”

He added that more than 70 percent of the paddy across all Haors in the district has already been harvested.