Assam: Historic Wahab Bazar Mosque lost to Brahmaputra’s erosion fury

The centuries-old Jame Masjid located in Wahab Bazar under Fakirganj area of Dhubri district has been completely consumed by the encroaching Brahmaputra River, leaving behind no trace of its once-stately presence.

 

For weeks, locals watched with despair as the shifting riverbanks eroded the foundation of the mosque inch by inch. On-camera visuals have captured the final, devastating moments of the structure’s collapse into the turbulent river waters — a poignant symbol of nature’s unrelenting force and the region’s vulnerability to environmental changes.

 

Eyewitnesses described the moment with visible grief. “We kept hoping some part of it would survive. It wasn’t just a place for prayer — it was a landmark of our heritage,” said one local resident, his voice heavy with emotion.

 

The mosque, regarded not only as a sacred space but a cultural and historical emblem of Wahab Bazar, had stood for generations as a pillar of faith and identity. Despite repeated pleas and attempts at mitigation, efforts to protect the structure failed, overpowered by the river’s fierce erosion.

 

Atikur Rahman, a local influential voice, urged the immediate intervention of Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika, stating that the erosion has now reached alarming levels and threatens the Wahab Bazar market area itself. “If proactive steps are not taken immediately, the entire locality could disappear,” he warned.

 

The tragedy has reignited demands for urgent riverbank protection and erosion control measures across erosion-prone zones in Assam, especially along the Brahmaputra's vulnerable stretches. Residents have appealed for a comprehensive intervention plan, citing repeated losses of homes, farmland, and public infrastructure to the river’s wrath.