Dhaka, April 27 -- River erosion in Babuganj and Ujirpur upazilas of Barishal has reached alarming levels, threatening agricultural land, rural infrastructure and the livelihoods of thousands living along the Sugandha and Sandha rivers.

In a formal appeal to the Ministry of Water Resources, Member of Parliament for Barishal-2 constituency Sardar Sarfuddin Ahmed urged the government to expedite the approval and implementation of a long-pending riverbank protection project.

The appeal highlights severe losses of farmland and agricultural production, along with growing risks to connectivity and local economic activities.

According to the letter, nearly 6,805 hectares of fertile land are lost to erosion each year in the affected areas. The...