, Oct. 17 -- Residents of Botbunia in Khulna's Dakope upazila are living in fear as work on a permanent alternative embankment has yet to begin five days after a 50-metre section of the existing flood protection embankment collapsed into the Dhaki River.

Around 5,000 bighas of Aman paddy land are at risk due to the breach, said locals.

Around 50 metres of the Water Development Board (WDB) embankment near the Harisabha temple at Botbunia Bazar collapsed into the river on the night of October 11.

The WDB immediately placed sandbags and tubes at the site to prevent extensive flooding.

However, a visit to the area found that the condition of the damaged embankment remained unchanged, with no work on a permanent alternative embankment havi...