The Surma and Kushiyara rivers flowing through Jakiganj in Sylhet are facing an alarming navigability crisis, with water levels dropping drastically during the dry season. Once vibrant waterways supporting transport and fisheries, the rivers have now turned into nearly dry beds, disrupting navigation and local water use. Residents report that once-thriving aquatic life and river-based livelihoods are disappearing as the rivers lose their natural flow.

Experts attribute the deterioration to upstream water flow disruptions, excessive siltation, unplanned encroachments, and the impacts of climate change. The resulting water scarcity has intensified pressure on groundwater, threatening long-term water security and agricultural productivity. Fish breeding has declined sharply, endangering local biodiversity and the income of fishing communities. Pollution has worsened as reduced water volume concentrates industrial and urban waste.

Officials from the Water Development Board say dredging and integrated river management plans are being prepared to restore flow and navigability. Environmentalists warn that without urgent, coordinated action, the Surma–Kushiyara system could face irreversible ecological and socio-economic damage.