Post-flood challenges: Thousands can’t rebuild homes in Cumilla’s Burichang due to soil shortage

The residents of Burichang upazila in Cumilla, whose homes were destroyed by the Gomti River embankment collapse during recent floods, are facing severe challenges in rebuilding their houses due to a shortage of soil needed for foundation repairs.

Despite receiving relief materials such as tin sheets and pillars, flood victims are unable to begin construction as they cannot source the soil necessary to rebuild their house foundations. Many of the affected areas have strict restrictions on digging up soil from agricultural land, where crops are currently growing.

Villagers expressed frustration at the situation. “We have everything needed to rebuild—tin roofs, pillars—but without soil for the foundation, we cannot start,” said one of the victims. “We are not allowed to dig soil from farmlands.”

Adding to the difficulties, transporting soil from distant locations has proven costly and impractical, with roads still damaged from the floods. “Gathering sand from nearby quarries is expensive, and there are no roads to bring in soil from other areas. We also lack the funds for transportation, and without heavy machinery like bulldozers, rebuilding will be even more expensive,” explained one local resident.

The recent floods in Cumilla damaged nearly 83,000 homes, with Burichang upazila alone accounting for around 13,000 affected houses. Of these, 4,143 homes were completely destroyed. Most of these homes lost their foundations as the floodwaters washed away the soil, leaving deep craters in the ground where houses once stood.

In Burichang’s Burburia area, dozens of homes were swept away entirely. Residents reported that everything, from their belongings to the soil beneath their homes, was washed away by the floodwaters. At least 50 households in the area cannot find soil anywhere to rebuild their home foundations, shared a local resident.

With roads still in ruins, bringing in soil from other locations has become nearly impossible. In Burburia village alone, at least 20 homes remain unrepaired due to the lack of soil. “We’ve received all the materials to rebuild, but without the soil for the foundation, nothing can be done,” said Mohammad Riaz, a local farmer.

“Even though we have tin and pillars, many are unable to rebuild due to the unavailability of soil. The damaged roads make it impossible to bring in soil from outside. People have been homeless for over a month now. If the government could provide soil and machinery, rebuilding would be quick.”

Local residents, like student Mohammad Palash, added that while some families have the financial means to rebuild, the lack of access to soil is holding them back. “We need tractors, bulldozers, and other heavy equipment to bring in soil and level the ground for rebuilding. But no one can afford the cost of such machinery,” Palash said. “If the government provides this machinery, people could finally have a roof over their heads again.”

Burichang Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Shahida Akter acknowledged the difficulties faced by residents. “At the moment, people will need to source soil from their own means, as there are no local alternatives. Buying soil or sand from other sources is expensive,” she said. “The upazila administration has already started work on repairing key roads, and the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) has received allocations for rural road repairs.”