The Baleshwar River in Pirojpur is losing navigability amid alleged of negligence by the Bangladesh Water Development Board, with falling water levels now threatening the town’s only water treatment plant and disrupting agriculture across the area.
Blocks dumped in the middle of the river during the construction of a town protection embankment have obstructed the natural flow of water, causing large sandbars to emerge and severely reducing navigability, according to local residents.
Passenger and cargo boats are frequently seen stranded on the riverbed, forcing travellers to wait hours for the tide or cross parts of the river on foot, ferry operators said.
Locals say the once-mighty river has steadily lost depth over the past several years due to encroachment, unplanned construction and a lack of dredging.
Ferry operator Md Jahangir Hossain, who has worked on the river for more than 30 years, said vessels carrying passengers and goods once moved easily through the channel.
“Seven or eight years ago blocks were dumped in the river during embankment construction in the name of protecting the town. Since then sandbars have formed and navigation has almost stopped,” he said.
He added that in many places children can now walk across the river, while boats carrying passengers or goods often remain stuck waiting for the tide.
The falling water level has also created a severe shortage for Pirojpur municipality’s only water treatment plant, raising fears of an acute drinking water crisis for residents.
Pirojpur Municipality Water and Sewerage Assistant Engineer Md Mehedi Hasan said the treatment plant struggles to draw sufficient water from the river during this time of year.
“The river dries up significantly in the dry season, disrupting the supply of water to the treatment plant. The municipality is considering alternative options to address the problem,” he said.
Local farmers say reduced water flow is also affecting irrigation, threatening crop production across surrounding farmland.
Residents allege that unplanned dumping of concrete blocks by the Bangladesh Water Development Board several years ago disrupted the river’s flow and caused heavy siltation, filling nearly one-third of the channel.
Bangladesh Water Development Board Pirojpur Executive Engineer Nusair Hossain declined to comment on the allegation but said the authorities plan to remove sandbars through dredging if funds are allocated.
More than 100,000 people depend on the Baleshwar River for the municipal water supply, while irrigation for at least 15,000 hectares of farmland relies on the river’s water.
