A two-day orientation workshop was held at the AFAD Auditorium, Kurigram, on November 8 and 9, 2025, to assess the current status of the Dharla River, involving riverine women of Kurigram district. The workshop was organized by Riverine People, AFAD and Blue Planet Initiative (BPI).
A total of 10 young volunteers from Phulbari and Kurigram Sadar Upazilas participated in the workshop, who received hands-on training on river health, river erosion, dredging activities, women’s vulnerable status, and leadership development.

Visual presentations were provided on the current state of the river, volunteers were given an idea of research methods, and the risks, ignorance, and health problems of women in disaster-prone areas were highlighted.

On the second day, volunteers went to the Mogalbasa Ghat area to interview women on the riverbank and observe the river dredging activities on the ground. According to locals, the effectiveness of dredging is being hampered due to improper sand storage and in many cases, dredging is being done less than the specified depth. Such activities will continue in the future to enhance the capacity of river-dependent women and raise awareness among locals about river conservation.