To modernize the Daulatdia-Paturia ghat and prevent river erosion and to facilitate smooth vehicular movement, the government has undertaken a project titled 'Daulatdia and Paturia river port modernization with ancillary facilities'. The project was approved by ECNEC in 2020. The project includes construction of 6 modern ferry wharves each at Daulatdia and Paturia, 4 km river control upstream of Daulatdia ghat and 2 km river control at Paturia end. If this project is implemented, thousands of people of Daulatdia and Devgram Union would have been saved from the impact of the river. However, even after 5 years, no work has been started on the project.
The project will expire in December this year. Meanwhile, many areas in Daulatdia, Devagram area are being swallowed by the river every year due to not take any effective measures to prevent the river erosion. Recently, there has been river erosion between Daulatdia number 6 and 7 ferry ghats. BIWTA is dropping geo bags to prevent breakage. However, local residents said that if permanent measures are not taken, the damage will increase during monsoon.
Talking to BIWTA, Water Development Board and local administration, Daulatdia-Paturia is the busiest waterway in the country. The Daulatdia of Goaland upazila of Rajbari is on one side and Paturia of Manikganj on the other. Every year the ferry ghat at the Daulatdia end are destroyed by the river. Besides, the ghats have to be set up in high monsoon, middle before monsoon and low in dry season. And during these three levels one has to suffer from different problems. For these reasons, the government undertook the Daulatdia-Paturia ferry ghat modernization project. The project was approved by ECNEC in 2020. The cost of the project is estimated at Tk 1 thousand 351 crore 70 lakh. Among them, there are 6 modern ferry piers at Daulatdia and Paturia ends. 4 km of river control upstream of Ghat at Daulatdia end and 2 km of river control at Paturia end. If the project is implemented, vehicles would be able to board the ferry at Daulatdia-Paturia ferry wharf and Daulatdia-Paturia area’s river erosion will be prevented.
Daulatdia ferry ghat area can be seen on the surface, there are a total of 7 ferry ghats at Daulatdia end. Among them, 3 ghats are operational and 4 ghats are closed. The operating ghats are ferry ghats 3, 4 and 7. The remaining 4 ghats are closed due to river erosion. The erosion of Padma occurred in Ferighat No. 1 and 2 area of Daulatdia end in 4 years ago. Both the ghats have been closed since that time. Besides, ferry number 5 and 6 are closed since last year. The approach roads of functioning ferry wharves are also very steep. It is very difficult to get on and off vehicles on the ferry. There are also extreme risks. Besides, the launch ghat at Daulatdia end was damaged by the Padma two years ago which is still very low. Padma has recently broken between ghats 6 and 7 of Daulatdia ferry ghat. After a few days of collapse, the geo bag of 300 meters area has collapsed in Padma. BIWTA is releasing emergency geo bags to prevent breakage. However, the anger of the local residents is increasing due to BIWTA's negligence in Daulatdia area. The project is not even starting because of them.
Ashraful Islam Ashraf, a resident of Daulatdia Ghat area and member of Ward No. 2 of Daulatdia Union Parishad, said, "There were 3,600 voters in my ward." Now there are only 600 voters. When the river broke, everyone moved to other places. My house is also in the face of destruction. I have been hearing since five years ago that Daulatdia Ghat will be modernized and the river will be managed. We are sitting in that hope but it doesn't work anymore. People are losing their homes every year.
Alamgir Sheikh of the same ward said that our house was lost in the river last year. Now I rent land from others and live in a house there. I don't know when the river will be controlled. If the river was controlled, we would not have been left behind.
Salam Mandal said 5 to 6 thousand people are still at risk of collapse in Daulatdia Ghat area. I don't know what will happen to these people if effective measures are not taken before monsoon. Due to this negligence of BIWTA, the river is breaking every year at Daulatdia.
Chairman of Goaland Upazila Parishad Md Mostafa Munsi said that the main problem of Daulatdia and Devgram Union is river erosion. Five years ago I came to know that Daulatdia Ghat will be modernized along with four kilometers of river control. We are hopeful that if this work is implemented, the people of this area will be freed from the erosion of the river. But even today that work has not seen in reality. If this work is not started soon, we will build a big movement together with the local residents.
When BIWTA's supervising engineer and director of the project Mohammad Tariqul Hasan was contacted on mobile phone, he said that we will do the work of modernizing the ghat and the river will be managed by the Water Development Board. However, we have not been able to acquire the land yet. I hope to complete the land acquisition this year. Project related purchases are nearing completion. I hope to be able to start the main work next year. In response to the question why the work has not started even after five years, he said that soon after the project was accepted, the corona epidemic started in the whole country. That's why all the work was closed to us.
On the question whether the cost of the project will increase, he said, of course, the cost will increase. Because when the project is accepted, the price is fixed in the 2018 schedule. Everything has gone up in price now. After the land acquisition is completed, it will be known if the main work will increase the cost. And the project was supposed to end in December this year. That is not happening. Because of this, the working period will increase again.
Rajbari Water Development Board sub-divisional engineer Md Shamim Khan said, BIWTA works to prevent river erosion in the ghat area. BIWTA will also implement the projects they have taken up. We will do the work of river management. That too depends on their funding. However, if implemented, river erosion will be prevented in Daulatdia and Devgram.
ZH
