KURIGRAM, July 18 -- Hundreds of people affected by river erosion formed a human chain and held a rally in Kurigram's Chilmari upazila on Saturday, demanding urgent measures to protect the area from the continued erosion caused by the Brahmaputra River and calling for the establishment of a separate ministry for the country's char regions.

The programme, held at the erosion-hit Bishalpara area, drew more than a thousand participants, who also urged the government to rehabilitate affected families and take long-term steps to prevent further riverbank erosion.

The rally was chaired by Prof Shafiqul Islam Bebu, president of the Kurigram District Char Development and Implementation Council.

Among those who addressed the gathering were free...