Road Transport and Bridges Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan today visited the erosion point of an endangered embankment, three kilometre off the Padma Bridge. Photo: BSS

   SHARIATPUR, June 11, 2025 (BSS) – Road Transport and Bridges Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan today attributed the erosion in areas adjacent to Padma Bridge to illegal dredging and sand lifting causing the river’s course change and warned off stringent actions calling out army troops and coastguard.

   “The cause of the erosion is changing course of the river and illegal sand lifting,” he said while visiting the erosion point of an endangered embankment, three kilometre off the Padma Bridge.

   He said the Shariatpur’s deputy commissioner was asked to take punitive actions against the illegal dredging and sand lifting and “if required we will call out army troops and the Coast Guard to expose the people concerned to harsh actions”.

   The erosion was reported last month in the Padma Bridge project area, exposing the main protection embankment at Naowdoba in Shariatpur's Jajira end at risk.

   But officials and residents in the neighboiurhoood said severe current largely collapsed the embankment along a construction yard at Naowdoba area in Shariatpur's Jajira area two days ago as fresh erosions began since the Eid-ul-Azaha on June 7.

   Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, who too visited the scene, said the affected embankment would be reconstructed in a sustainable manner on receipt of a study report and design from the Bridges Division.

   He said as part of urgent measures geo-bags would be dumped at the erosion-prone areas to minimize the damage.

   Senior Bangladesh Water Development Board officials including engineers were present during their visit alongside the district and police administration of the district.

   Leading river and erosion expert Dr Maminul Haque Sarkar said erosion in river like the Padma was a natural phenomenon but uncalculated or indiscriminate dredging or sand lifting could aggravate the situation.