Teesta river is now sandy. The locals are crossing on foot as the Teesta River, which overflows two banks during the rainy season, has dried up in Falgun. Currently, not only boats, Teesta road, Railway Bridge are also standing like a farce.
It is known that after flowing over India’s Sikkim and West Bengal, the Teesta River entered Bangladesh through Kaliganj border of Nilphamari district. After that, the river flows through Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur and Gaibandha districts and merges with Brahmaputra River at Chilmari port in Kurigram district. The length of the river is about 315 km, but about 125 km is in the Bangladesh part. Residents of Teesta-bank face floods and river erosion during monsoons. Crop lands, settlements and all buildings were swept away by erosion and strong currents. But as soon as the monsoon ends, the Teesta River dries up and turns into a desert.
Innumerable sandbanks wake up on the chest of wave less Teesta. Due to the construction of a dam in the upstream Ghazaldoba, the neighboring country India controls the water of the river on one side, and the Teesta turns into a desert in the Bangladesh part after the monsoon. As a result, livelihoods and biodiversity have been destroyed in the 125 km Teesta basin of Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram and Nilphamari districts. People are now crossing the river on foot on the banks downstream of Teesta Barrage, one of the country’s irrigation projects. As a result, Teesta Railway Bridge, Teesta Road Bridge and Gangachara Sheikh Hasina Teesta Road Bridge built on the Teesta River with barrages are standing like a farce.
Fishermen on the banks of the river said that there was a time when a lot of fish was caught in the Teesta. Thousands of fishermen families made a living by selling that fish in the market. At that time, the Teesta port of Sadar Upazila was full of fish around Teesta from where the Teesta river flowed across the country. Now fish are not available. Therefore, due to the lack of dry land, the port of Teesta does not have the previous charm. All that’s left is the outer layer. Fish are starving in the waterless Teesta. Many fishermen have changed their profession due to lack of fish. The families of those who are there are starving and half-starved. Due to the lack of water, the chest of Teesta without waves has now turned into dusty sand. There is no clamor of sailors. No fishermen are busy fishing. All in all, the life and livelihood of Teesta bank has stopped on the shelf of despair.
Jeetendranath, fisherman of Pangatari village of Gokunda Union of Sadar Upazila on the left bank of Teesta, said that earlier the family lived happily by catching and selling fish in this river. I used to dry the fish and sell it throughout the year. Now I don’t even have my own fish. He spends the day catching fish in nearby pits, eating or not. Many have changed professions. I am in this profession because I have no other work experience. He urged the government to restore the youth of Teesta by collecting the fair share of water.
Nazir Hossain, a farmer of Teesta Char area Govardhan village, said that there is no need for water during monsoons. Then large amount of water left India and destroyed our crops and houses. And during the dry season when we need water for cultivation, we do not get even a single drop of water. If we got a fair share, there would be water in the Teesta even in the dry season. At that time, not only fish, but river water could be used for cultivation in the uncultivated pasture land. Now I am spending a lot of money and doing some kind of cultivation. The production cost of which does not rise.
The boatman of the ghat, Safiqul, said that the water is below the knees in the main stream which can be crossed on foot. The rest of the Teesta river is sandy. As a result, there is no opportunity to ply the boat now. Everyone is walking through a little knee-deep water. So I kept the boat due to lack of passengers. Asfafddawla, the executive engineer of Dalia Point of Teesta Barrage, the country’s largest irrigation project, said that there is only 2,000 cusecs of water in the river. With which 45 thousand hectares of land is being cultivated. Due to low water, all water taps in the main streams are closed as per rules. As a result, the main river is dry.