Anwarul Haque Nizami, Mirsarai (Chattogram)

 A critical portion of the embankment constructed under the Char Development and Settlement Project (CDSP) in Mirsarai upazila of Chattogram is being washed away by the Feni River, posing a serious threat to local fisheries and infrastructure. New sections of the embankment are collapsing daily, and in recent days, erosion has not only destroyed parts of the structure but also damaged roads, uprooted trees, and toppled electric poles, disrupting communication in the area.

Fisheries in the region are under severe threat. If the erosion is not brought under control soon, experts warn of a devastating blow to the local aquaculture industry, as saline water intrusion would render fish farming nearly impossible.

The CDSP embankment, once a beacon of prosperity, transformed the region by enabling the development of hundreds of fish farms. These ventures changed the lives of countless families who relied on aquaculture for their livelihood.

Constructed in 1994, the 11.5-kilometre-long embankment was designed to protect vast stretches of Mirsarai from sea erosion under the CDSP. However, intense riverbank erosion has already swallowed about 200 acres of fisheries, with another 500 acres now at risk. These farms supply nearly 70 percent of Chattogram’s fish demand.

The Muhuri Irrigation Project—initiated in the fiscal year 1977–78 and completed in 1985–86—was designed to utilize the combined water flow of the Feni, Muhuri, and Kalidas rivers for irrigation and flood control across Feni, Sonagazi, and Mirsarai. However, siltation in the lower basin of the Feni River has significantly reduced the effectiveness of the project and altered the river's natural course. The embankment is also connected to the Mirsarai National Special Economic Zone, further increasing the stakes of any failure.

According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and local residents, the embankment enabled large-scale fish farming in the Ichakhali and Osmanpur unions of Mirsarai. Now, more than 50,000 residents of these areas are directly at risk due to the ongoing erosion. If the embankment fully collapses during the upcoming monsoon, hundreds of fish farms could be lost, and the nearby National Special Economic Zone could also be affected.

The Water Development Board’s records show that a portion of the embankment collapsed in August 2012. At that time, the river’s course was redirected, and the damaged section was rebuilt. However, new erosion has emerged around two kilometers south of the Muhuri Irrigation Project. A 200-meter section of the embankment has already suffered severe erosion, with more than half of the structure in some places washed away, while large cracks have appeared in others.

Md. Mostafa, a fish farmer from Ichakhali's Aburhat area, said, “My 14-acre fish farm is now under threat due to the weakening embankment. I’ve had to suspend operations this season because of the risk.”

When contacted, Mirsarai Upazila UNO  Mahfuza Jerin said, “We are aware of the erosion issue near the CDSP embankment in North Ichakhali. The Water Development Board has been notified, and we are monitoring the situation closely. The matter has been reported to higher authorities.”

Feni Water Development Board Sub-Divisional Engineer Alok Das added, “Our officials have visited the erosion-affected site. We plan to implement emergency measures under a special project to prevent further collapse of the embankment.”