Desk Report: A health centre at Ujaldanga in Fulchhari upazila has been completely eroded by the surging water of the Jamuna river, and 55 families have lost their homesteads and croplands, reports Daily Star.
Ujaldanga health centre went into the river on August 17 as the rapacious river started devastation in the areas for the last few days, and the health centre was washed away despite attempts to save the building from the fury of erosion.
With the loss of the centre, people of Fazlupur union have remained deprived of health services and they have to go to Fulchhari Upazila Health Complex by crossing the river.
Nazrul Islam, assistant engineer of Gaibandha civil surgeon’s office, said the community health centre was built in 2010 with a fund of Tk 12 lakh, adding that the centre building had been facing erosion threat from three weeks back.

Prior to setting up of the health centre, people had to go to the upazila health complex on foot, crossing the Jamuna by country boats, which took a lot of time.
Omar Ali Mandol, a farmer of remote char land Kauyabandha in Fazlupur union, said the people of the union got health services since the setting up of Ujaldanda community health centre but they are now deprived of the service with the erosion of the centre.
Housewife Fatema Begum of Ujaldanga said the people, especially women and children, got health services at the clinic free of cost, but now they will not get such service at their doorsteps.
Fazlupur Union Parishad Chairman Abu Hanif Pramanik said erosion has meanwhile devoured homesteads of 55 families during the last three weeks. He requested the authorities to set up a temporary health camp at Ujaldanga.
The department sold the building on auction in Gobindaganj, but the bidder, after visiting the spot, did not deposit the bid money, as the building was on the verge of collapse into the river.
The centre was devoured totally by the river on August 17, he added.