Desk Report,
Joint operation begins to remove illegal pipes after dam collapses in Chingrighere
Illegal pipes of the Chingrighere are being removed in a joint operation in Koira, Khulna. On Wednesday morning, in the Hazatkhali area on the banks of the Kapotaksha River in the upazila. Photo: Prothom Alo
Joint operation begins to remove illegal pipes after dam collapses in Chingrighere
Kapotaksha, Shakbaria and Koira—Koira Upazila of Khulna is surrounded by 155 kilometers of embankments of these three rivers. Thousands of unplanned shrimp ponds have been built by cutting or piercing the embankment and pouring salt water into it, weakening the embankment. Every year, dams damaged by natural disasters break and flood vast areas. In addition to losing people’s homes, the adverse effects of salt water are destroying forest and fruit resources, disrupting the balance of the environment, and destroying biodiversity.
For this reason, on Wednesday morning, PAUBO officials, the local administration and the Navy launched a joint operation to remove illegal shrimp pond pipes installed by piercing the embankment. On the first day of the operation, 27 shrimp pond pipes were removed from the Hazatkhali area of Koyra Upazila to Katmarchar.
Recently, during a field visit to various areas of Koyra, it was found that the gher traders of Gebra, Madinabad, Loka, Mathbari, Dashalia, Hogla, Maheshwaripur, Tentultalarchar, Baniakhali, Hadda, Chowkuni, Baburabad, Katkata, Katmarchar, No. 6 Koyra, Charamukha, and Jorshing areas of Koyra Upazila have arbitrarily cut into the flood control dam to raise brackish water in the shrimp gher. This has also made the newly repaired dam in front of some ghers risky.
Koyra Sadar Union Parishad (UP) Panel Chairman Masum Billah said that during natural disasters, the places where pipes are installed by making holes in the dam break. This is causing losses of crores of taka not only to the common people but also to the government. Despite the orders to remove the pipes used to inject salt water through miking in the area, the owners of the enclosures are ignoring them. Latest
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Destroyed dam in Chingri Gher, joint operation begins to remove illegal pipes
Representative
Koira, Khulna
Updated: 05 June 2025, 19:01
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Illegal pipes in the Chingri Gher are being removed in a joint operation in Koira, Khulna. Wednesday morning in the Hazatkhali area on the banks of the Kapotaksha River in the upazila Photo: Prothom Alo
Khoira Upazila of Khulna is surrounded by 155 kilometers of embankments of 3 rivers – Kapotaksha, Shakbaria and Koira. The embankments under the control of the Water Development Board (PAUBO) have been cut or pierced to allow saltwater from the river to enter, weakening the embankments. Every year, dams damaged by natural disasters break and flood vast areas. In addition to losing people’s homes, forest and fruit resources are being destroyed due to the adverse effects of saltwater, the balance of the environment is being destroyed, and biodiversity is being destroyed.
For this reason, on Wednesday morning, PAUBO officials, the local administration and the Navy launched a joint operation to remove illegal pipes of shrimp enclosures installed by piercing the embankments. On the first day of the operation, 27 shrimp enclosure pipes were removed from the Hazatkhali area of Koira Upazila to Katmarchar.
Recently, during a field visit to various areas of Koyra, it was found that the gher traders of Gebra, Madinabad, Loka, Mathbari, Dashalia, Hogla, Maheshwaripur, Tentultalarchar, Baniakhali, Hadda, Chowkuni, Baburabad, Katkata, Katmarchar, No. 6 Koyra, Charamukha, and Jorshing areas of Koyra Upazila have arbitrarily cut into the flood control dam to raise salt water in the shrimp gher. This has also made the newly repaired dam in front of some ghers risky.
Masum Billah, panel chairman of Koyra Sadar Union Parishad (UP), said that during natural disasters, the places where pipes are installed by making holes in the dam break. This is causing losses of crores of taka not only to the common people but also to the government. Despite the orders to remove the pipes for pouring salt water by miking in the area, the gher owners are ignoring it.
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Salt water is entering the fishponds through the sluice gate of the embankment in Koyra, Khulna. On Wednesday, in the Sundarbans-adjacent Maheshwaripur area of the upazila. Photo: Prothom Alo
Kamal Hossain, a resident of Maharajpur area of Koyra, said, “We have repeatedly formed a human chain demanding the closure of saltwater shrimp ponds to protect the embankment. Even then, the pond traders continue to cut the embankment and extract saltwater. This is severely damaging the biodiversity of the area. People are losing their livelihood and becoming dependent on the Sundarbans. People displaced by river erosion are leaving the area and moving to other places.”
Khulna PAUBO Deputy Assistant Engineer Mashiul Abedin said, “We have started the work of protecting the embankment by removing the embankment pipes in some places in Koyra. Earlier, shrimp farmers were warned several times. But since no one removed the pipes, a campaign was launched. The campaign will continue in phases throughout the upazila. Dams will not be allowed to be damaged for shrimp farming. For this, arrangements must be made to legally extract water in a planned manner.
