The Sahati River in Jhenaigati upazila of Sherpur is facing a severe existential crisis due to encroachment and pollution. Local residents report that influential individuals have occupied large portions of the riverbanks, planting trees and converting the land for private use. They are demanding immediate government intervention to reclaim the occupied areas, dredge the river, and construct embankments on both sides to prevent further damage.

Residents of Chapajhora village say the river is a key drainage route for hill runoff in northern Jhenaigati, but water flow has deteriorated drastically. The absence of embankments causes annual flooding, damaging homes and farmland. Over the past two years, about 40–50 feet of land along the northern bank has turned into sand, threatening 100–150 acres of cropland.

Officials from the Sherpur Water Development Board stated that a proposal has been sent to higher authorities for excavation and drainage improvement. They emphasized the river’s importance to local agriculture and pledged to expedite necessary work.