Road construction through haor, disaster for farmers and agricultural land

A road construction project through the Shanghai Haor in Shantiganj upazila, Sunamganj, has sparked concerns among farmers and environmentalists, who warn of its disastrous impact on agriculture and biodiversity. At a time when Boro paddy is in full bloom and farmers are preparing for the harvest, heavy machinery is cutting through the haor, destroying farmland and obstructing natural water flow.

The 4-km road project, undertaken by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, is being implemented with an estimated budget of 40 million taka, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). JB Innovation, a Dhaka-based contracting firm, is responsible for construction. The project, initiated by former Planning Minister MA Mannan, aims to connect Dungriya village on the eastern bank with Hasnabad village on the western bank.

Farmers from the affected villages, including Dungriya, Hasnabad, and Jamlabaz, are losing significant portions of their farmland to excavation. The use of heavy machinery to dig up soil and pile it on the land has resulted in the destruction of nearly 100 feet of cultivable land in width. Additionally, the excavation has created canal-like structures, further diminishing available farmland.

Local farmers say they were neither consulted nor compensated adequately. Tarif Miah, a 70-year-old farmer, has already lost more than one acre of his four-acre land due to the construction. He expressed frustration, saying, “No one consulted us before building the road. Our land is gone, and so is our paddy.” Another farmer, Selim Miah, voiced similar concerns, stating that their livelihood depends entirely on the haor, yet their land is being taken away without proper compensation.

Last year, when construction first began, farmers protested, but local Awami League leaders reportedly intervened, persuading them to accept small financial compensation. This year, despite a change in political dynamics, the project continues with new backers.

Officials remain divided on the issue. Engineer Murad Ahmed, representing the contractor, claimed that MA Mannan had arranged everything with the farmers. However, Shantiganj Upazila Project Implementation Officer (PIO) Jahangir Alam clarified that there is no official allocation for land acquisition or compensation under this project.

Shantiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sukanta Saha assured that he would forward any complaints to higher authorities and mentioned that JICA must have conducted proper studies before approving the project. Sunamganj Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ilias Miah has also requested detailed information, stating that no project should harm the haor’s ecosystem or the livelihoods of its farmers.

Environmentalists fear that, like a similar controversial project in Kishoreganj, this road will disrupt the haor’s natural water flow during monsoons, leading to waterlogging and long-term damage to agriculture and biodiversity. Bijoy Sen Roy, General Secretary of Haor Bachao Andolon, stressed that such developments threaten the haor‍‍`s delicate ecosystem.

Former Planning Minister MA Mannan, who initially facilitated the project, now distances himself from its current execution. “I am not involved this time. I do not know how things are proceeding now and no one has informed me about anything,” he told Prothom Alo.

As construction progresses, the fate of the haor’s farmlands and the livelihood of its farmers hang in the balance, with no clear resolution in sight.