Sachchida Nanda Dey Saday, Ashashuni (Satkhira) 

After five days of continuous efforts, the construction of an emergency ring embankment on the breached section of the Khulpetua River at Bichat in Ashashuni has finally been completed. The embankment collapse, which occurred on the morning of March 31st—Eid-ul-Fitr day—has caused massive flooding in 10 villages, submerging around 4,000 bighas of agricultural land and fish farms, and displacing over 15,000 people from approximately 1,200 families.According to eyewitnesses and local sources, cracks had been observed days earlier in the embankment near Bichat Government Primary School in Anulia Union. Despite public concern and sleepless nights, the embankment ultimately gave way under tidal pressure at around 8:30 AM on Eid morning. Within moments, 10 to 15 feet of the embankment collapsed, allowing saline water from the Khulpetua River to rush into the villages, devastating fish enclosures, croplands, poultry farms, and homes.Chairman of Anulia Union Parishad, Ruhul Quddus, local political leaders, and residents began constructing a makeshift ring embankment around 9:00 AM using voluntary labor. However, the initial embankment failed due to strong tidal currents by noon, expanding the breach to 40–50 feet. With continued tidal cycles, the breach grew to approximately 300–350 feet, leading to widespread inundation of the villages of Bichat, Noakhali, Ballavpur, Anulia, Kakbasiya, and others.The floodwaters submerged around 3,000 bighas of fish enclosures, 800 bighas of farmland, hundreds of homes, poultry, livestock farms, and freshwater ponds. Over 300 mud houses were washed away or collapsed. Affected families have taken shelter on the nearby Water Development Board embankment, in open air, or with relatives in safer areas. There is a severe shortage of cooked food, poultry feed, and fodder for livestock.Relief efforts have been limited and scattered, with some dry food distributed by government agencies and local youth groups—insufficient compared to the urgent needs of the displaced population.On April 4th, with support from the Water Development Board (WDB), the Upazila administration, and local representatives, a ring embankment was finally constructed using geo-textile fabric rolls filled with sand via pipes from barges. Although about 300 bighas of land had to be left outside the protective ring, this temporary measure has halted further intrusion of river water.Satkhira Deputy  Commissioner Mostak Ahmed said, coordinated efforts between WDB officers from polder numbers 1 and 2 helped expedite the embankment work. He emphasized the immediate need for food and rehabilitation support for the flood-affected population, which has been communicated to higher authorities.WDB Executive Engineer confirmed the emergency ring embankment has been completed, with permanent reconstruction of the main embankment planned for the near future. UP Chairman Ruhul Quddus praised the tireless efforts of all involved in completing the temporary embankment and expressed hope for swift initiation of the main embankment work.During the crisis, key figures including the Khulna Divisional Commissioner, Satkhira Drputy  Commissioner, senior WDB officials, political leaders from BNP and Jamaat, and representatives from the agriculture and fisheries departments visited the affected areas. Continuous supervision and monitoring were provided by UNO  Krishna Roy, army personnel, and local authorities.