Work on 77 crop protection embankments in Tahirpur, Sunamganj, has yet to begin despite official inaugurations. Farmers fear early flooding could damage Boro crops as delays continue and required project committees remain incomplete.
Work on 77 crop protection embankments in Tahirpur upazila of Sunamganj has yet to begin, heightening anxiety among farmers as the Boro rice cultivation season approaches in the country’s northeastern haor region.
Haors are vast seasonal wetland ecosystems that remain submerged for much of the year and are highly vulnerable to flash floods. Crop protection embankments are critical to safeguarding Boro crops, the region’s main agricultural output.
Although two embankments at Angaruli haor under Balijuri Union were formally inaugurated by the district administration on December 15, no physical construction is currently underway at any of the sites. Officials also acknowledge that the formation of Project Implementation Committees (PICs), a mandatory requirement for project execution, remains incomplete in several locations.
Local authorities say waterlogging has delayed work in some areas. However, residents argue that such conditions exist in only one haor in the district, raising questions about why construction in the remaining haors has not progressed.
With national elections approaching, farmers and residents across Sunamganj are urging authorities to accelerate embankment construction. Many fear that further delays could leave their crops exposed to early flooding and raise the risk of irregularities in government-funded projects.
A local environmental activist and several grassroots leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said they had earlier filed complaints with the public administration, the Election Commission and the divisional commissioner over alleged irregularities in the leasing of sand quarries and government water bodies, illegal sand extraction and what they described as administrative inaction. They claim no effective response was received.
They now fear similar mismanagement could affect embankment construction as well. “If corruption occurs in these projects and our crops are destroyed, there will be no justice for us,” said a local farmer. “We have no alternative means of survival.”
According to local sources, repair work has not started on 75 of the 77 embankments in Tahirpur. Residents described the two inaugurated projects as largely ceremonial, with no visible progress on the ground.
Some haor residents noted that water levels near embankment bases have slightly receded, but the soil remains soft. Due to muddy conditions, heavy excavation machinery cannot yet be deployed. However, they questioned why PIC formation has not been completed despite these constraints.
Ali Ahmed Murad, chairman of Shreepur South Union Parishad, said construction in Shani haor, Matiyan haor, extended Gurmar haor and Mahalia haor would require at least another 15 days before work could begin.
Khalil Mia, president of the Angaruli haor embankment project, said soil-cutting machinery arrived at the site on Thursday and that work would begin within a few days.
This year, embankment construction is planned across 95 haors in Sunamganj district. A total of 510 projects covering 433 kilometres of embankments have been approved, with a budget of Tk 1.03 billion, equivalent to approximately USD 9.4 million.
The haor embankment projects were formally inaugurated by Sunamganj Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Elias Mia.
Mamun Hawladar, executive engineer of the Bangladesh Water Development Board, said construction would begin as soon as water levels recede further.
