By Alpona Nafak from Kalmakanda, Netrakona
Bonbera, a remote hill-surrounded village in Kalmakanda upazila of Netrokona district, is sustained by three small streams that flow through its landscape. The streams include Bonbera Chhara, Agchhara, and Kalachhara.
Originating from nearby hills, these streams are central to daily life, providing drinking water, irrigation, construction materials, fish, and livelihoods for nearly 140 families across three villages.
In the absence of functional tube wells due to iron-contaminated water and rocky underground conditions, the villagers depend entirely on spring-fed stream water throughout the year.
Beyond meeting basic needs, the streams have long supported agriculture, biodiversity, and social cooperation, especially during the dry season when villagers work together to manage water and irrigation.
However, growing environmental pressures such as excessive sand and stone extraction, reduced water flow, and ecological change have led to a sharp decline in fish diversity and increased water scarcity.
Local residents now emphasize the urgent need for community-based conservation and sustainable management to protect these fragile streams, as their survival is deeply tied to the culture, livelihoods, and future of Bonbera village.
