River Swallows School in Bangladesh: Students Receive Education on a Flood Embankment

In the Sonatala sub-district of the Bogura region in Bangladesh, the severe erosion effects of the Jamuna River continue. The river not only devours homes and agricultural lands but also threatens educational institutions. The permanent building of the century-old Çokratinath Devlet İlkokulu, established in 1919, has completely disappeared into the river waters. This disaster reveals how vulnerable the settlements and infrastructure in the region are against river erosion. It appears that authorities still struggle to produce permanent solutions to this problem.

Despite the school building being submerged in the depths of the river, education has not entirely stopped. 73 students continue their classes in a temporary shelter made of tent fabric set up on a flood control embankment. In these open-air temporary classrooms, students continue their education by braving harsh natural conditions. However, studying right next to the river creates a significant source of stress for both students and teachers. This situation proves how fragile the right to education in the region has become. It also remains uncertain how long this temporary solution will last.

The threats in the riverbed are not limited to just Çokratinath Devlet İlkokulu. Doğu Sucayetpur Devlet İlkokulu, located nearby and also used as a flood disaster shelter, is also under serious threat. Constructed at a cost of approximately 43 lakh takka (local currency), this school building is vulnerable to the encroaching waters of the river. The relentless progression of erosion is dragging school administrators and parents into deep concern. If necessary precautions are not taken promptly, a second educational institution in the region will fall victim to the waters.

People are losing not only their schools but also their homes and livelihoods during this destructive erosion process. Areas that were settlements just a few days ago have now completely merged into the river. Farmers are forced to hastily harvest their not-yet-fully-ripe jute crops due to the fear of a potential disaster. While local residents try to dismantle their threatened homes and move them to safer locations, demolition continues unabated in the coastal areas of the Hat Şerpur market region. This dramatic picture leads to the displacement of hundreds of families and the loss of their livelihoods.

Local authorities are trying to take some measures to slow down the erosion and protect the riverbanks. Geotextile bags are being stacked along the riverbank to prevent erosion. However, with its massive water volume and strong current, the river has the potential to overflow these measures at any moment. Although riverbed changes and erosion are common natural phenomena in a geographically flat country like Bangladesh, it is noted that their impacts have become more destructive in recent years. This process, also triggered by climate change, increasingly complicates the survival struggle of the local population.