Juri River Erosion Threatens Homesteads and Cropland Along Its Banks

Erosion of the Juri River in Moulvibazar has put homesteads and cropland along its banks under threat. As stretches of the riverbank collapse, families living close to the water face the risk of losing their homes, while the farmland that sustains their livelihoods is also in danger.

The Juri River flows through Juri upazila of Moulvibazar and is an important waterway for the area. Many villages stand along its two banks, and much of the region's cultivation takes place on the fertile land beside the river. When erosion turns severe, its impact falls directly on people's homes and livelihoods.

In the latest erosion, homesteads are at risk of disappearing into the river, and farming families are deeply worried as cropland breaks away. Once cultivable land is swallowed by a river it is never recovered, narrowing the income paths of the affected families.

River erosion is a long-standing problem for people living in the haor and riverbank areas of Sylhet Division. Every year, during the monsoon and high-water season, banks of various rivers collapse and many families lose their homesteads. The latest erosion of the Juri River is a new addition to that continuing suffering.

For families in the path of the erosion, the biggest worries now are shelter and the next cultivation season. If homesteads cannot be saved, many families may have to take shelter with relatives or elsewhere, making their lives even harder.

Local people hope that preventive measures will be taken quickly along the erosion-prone stretches, so that more homesteads and cropland can be stopped from disappearing into the river. They believe the longer the erosion continues, the greater the losses will grow.

People in the erosion-hit area are now waiting for effective action. Residents hope that timely bank-protection measures can still save the homesteads and livelihood land of many families.