The committee members at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) said the river erosion has taken a serious turn and vast area of the upazila has already been devoured by those rivers.

During the last two months 9,480 people of 1,343 families have become homeless due to erosion.

Besides, the rivers have gobbled up 10,501 acres of land, 17 schools and colleges, three madrasas, 22 mosques and temples, 1,222 ponds, 18 kilometer roads, 42 business establishments, three big hats and 500 acres of betel nut groves.

Committee Secretary Mohammad Abdur Rob read out a paper at the press conference while its President Fakhrul Islam Chowdhury, joint secretaries Azizul Islam Bhuiyan and Fuad Chowdhury, poet Asad Chowdhury, Advocate Nasirul Haq Chowdhury and Syed Altaf Hossain also spoke on the occasion.

The speakers said Mehendiganj has a history of its own in education and culture, trade and commerce, agriculture and artistry. Its contribution to the national achievement and growth is immense, they said.

But the Meghna, the Tentulia and the Mashkata have become the 'fait accompli' of three lakh people of the upazila. They said the mighty rivers have already swallow the hearths and homes and everything of most of the areas of several unions including Gubindapur, Jagalia, Darirchar-Khajuria, Bashanchar and Andermanik.

They said immediate assistance is needed for the erosion-hit people. The committee leaders called upon the caretaker government to make an accurate list of the affected people who have no place to take refuge.

They demanded implementation of the Krug Mission Plan taken in 1953 to protect the people of this part of the country from the grip of the river erosion.

They also called upon the well-to-do section of the society to come forward in aid of the erosion-stricken people of Mehendiganj.

The press conference was followed by a video-presentation on the river erosion.