The sea is eating away this island

Sinking: Bangladeshi villager Lutfun Nahar stands inside the remains of her home on Kutubdia Island, which is slowly being engulfed by the sea. Photos: AFP

Hamida Begum has fled her home on Bangladesh’s Kutubdia island more times than she can remember while her neighbours have already given up the battle to prevent theirs being swallowed by the sea.

“I am scared our house will be washed away as well some day and during the monsoon season we can’t live here at all,” says the mother-of-four, standing outside the only one of a row of mud-brick shacks still intact. “But this is our land and besides, we don’t have money to go elsewhere.”