, Feb. 19 -- Expectations are running unusually high in the northern district of Kurigram, as residents look to the newly formed government for visible and sustainable solutions to the chronic problems of river erosion and unemployment that have shaped life in the area for decades.

Bordering India and crisscrossed by rivers, Kurigram has long struggled with poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment in education, health care and communications. Locals say repeated promises and short-term projects have failed to deliver lasting change, leaving thousands trapped in a cycle of displacement and economic insecurity.

At least 16 rivers, including the Brahmaputra River, Dharla River, Teesta River and Dudhkumar River, flow through the district....