Bangladesh, Sept. 18 -- Hundreds of families have lost their homes and farmland due to the severe erosion of the Padma River in Manikganj's Harirampur Upazila, leaving them destitute.

Since June this year, in addition to scores of acres of cropland, more than 300 homes in the Harihardia, Gangadhardi, Selimpur, Joypur and Patgram villages in the Upazila's Lacharagonj Union have been taken by the river, according to local union council Chairman Moazzem Hossain.

Arzina Begum, a housewife from Patgram, said: "After many hardships, I built a house of brick. This too could be taken by the Padma at any time."

"We are losing everything, and no one is even looking."

Belayet Ali, an 85-year-old from the same area, said: "We had 20 bighas (6.67 ...