Dhaka: A vulnerable embankment along the Atai River in Dighalia upazila of Khulna district has sparked fears of flooding in 10 villages following days of heavy rainfall and high tidal surges. The affected section located between Mominpur and Hajigram villages is part of Kamargati-Pather Bazar road which once served as a key transport route connecting several villages with Khulna city through Daulatpur.

According to United News of Bangladesh, over the past decade, continuous riverbank erosion has washed away nearly two-thirds of the road, leaving the remaining portion to function as a flood protection embankment. Residents now use an alternative road for communication. Locals said the recent heavy rains and rising tidal waters have severely weakened the embankment. Water began overtopping the structure, causing large cracks and raising fears of an imminent breach.

Sensing the danger, villagers gathered on Friday evening after the tide receded and carried out emergency repairs using bamboo and earth under floodlights to temporarily reinforce the embankment. However, they said the risk remains high. If the embankment collapses, more than 10 villages including Kalia, Tero Khada, Gazirhat, Kola, Arua, Ambariya, Kamargati, Lakhoyati, Madhabpur, Radhamadhabpur, Nandan Pratap, Barakpur, and Mominpur could be inundated, threatening hundreds of homes, fish enclosures, and croplands, and causing losses worth millions of taka.

Local resident Sirajul Islam said the damaged section was originally a road rather than an embankment. “The road has gradually been eroded by the Atai River since 2013 and has effectively turned into a flood embankment. This is the most vulnerable point this year,” he said. He alleged that although the government allocates large sums every year for erosion control in the area, the work is largely limited to temporary repairs using geo-bags at nearby locations, bringing little benefit to local residents.

Another resident, Hafizur Rahman, said villagers had managed to hold back the water for now using bamboo and soil. “But the embankment could give way at any time. We urgently need a durable embankment built by the government.” Residents alleged that despite repeated government spending on riverbank protection over the years, no lasting solution has been implemented.

Dighalia Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sujan Das Gupta said the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has already initiated measures to repair the embankment. He said a significant portion of the road has already been washed away and BWDB engineers believe temporary repairs are unlikely to withstand the water pressure because nearby fish enclosures remain inundated. “The matter has been brought to the attention of the local Member of Parliament. I have also discussed it with the BWDB executive engineer and the relevant ministry officials and visited the site,” the UNO said. “They have assured us that efforts will be made this time to implement a permanent solution,” he added.