Over 40 families in Sadar upazila of the district, who lost their homes due to erosion by the Padma river, are living in no man's land, Bangladesh's border with India, close to the river.

Their village, Paschim Kodalkati in Alatuli union, is virtually isolated from the district headquarters by the Padma river in the absence of road links.

Abdur Razzak, 42, said the Padma has come dangerously close to his house in the last one month. The family shifted their belongings to a nearby house, but after a few days they realised that it wouldn't survive the angry waves. They decided to go to no-man's land.

Now he, his wife, three sons and two daughters are living there with other families. He has built a makeshift house there as the river has swept away their house and farmlands, he added.

An affected family shift the disjoined parts of their house to a safer place the same day. PHOTO: STAR

Durul Hoda, 50, said he lost his house four times and shifted this year to no-man's land.

Like them, Abul Kashem, 60, Ujelefa Begum, 60, Nurjahan Begum, 55, are living in no- man's land due to river erosion.

Residents of Alatuli village said 150 houses, farmlands, bamboo clusters, and mango orchards were devoured by the Padma in the last two months. People are shifting their houses from risky places to safer ones as the river is washing away fresh areas every day.

Kodalkati, Paschim Kodalkati, Sarkar Para, Amin Para, Adarsha Gram and Koia Para are facing the threat of erosion by the river.

"Severe erosion by the river has recently forced us to move from our house. As I do not have any land, I took shelter at no-man's land and made a tin-shed there," Nur Mohammad, 50, said.

Alatuli Union Parishad Kamrul Hasan Chairman said they have requested the upazila nirbahi officer to take steps immediately to protect thousands of people, huge properties, including vast tracts of croplands and a large number of establishments, from erosion.

Union parishad member Mohammad Alauddin said over 500 houses were washed away by the Padma during the last two years.

Executive Engineer of Chapainawabganj Water Development Board (WDB) Syed Shahidul Alam said he was not aware of erosion by the river.

Deputy Commissioner of Chapainawabganj Jahidul Islam said he would take an initiative to make homes for the homeless people of Alatuli under Asroy project.

Char Kharibari Madhya Primary School in Dimla upazila under Nilphamari gets devoured by a channel of the Teesta yesterday. PHOTO: STAR

Meanwhile, our Lalmonirhat correspondent reports that erosion by the river Dharla has turned serious at eight villages in the district as the river has been devouring homesteads, croplands, orchards and infrastructures during the last few days.

The erosion-hit villages are Baparitari, Etapota, Kurul and Bowalmari in Mogholhat union, and Shiberkuti, Char Kulaghat, Dakhkhin Shiberkuti and Wapdapar in Kulaghat union under Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.

Sub-Divisional Engineer of WDB Al Mamun said it is not possible to do protection work now as the Dharla is devouring vast areas at the same time. The work would be done during the dry season, he added.

Our Nilphamari correspondent reports that erosion by Teesta river has taken a serious turn at Char Kharibari village in Dimla upazila as the violent onrush of water through a new channel of the river has devoured  a 60-foot long and 19-foot wide portion of Char Kharibari Madhya Government Primary School on Tuesday.