Saturday | 11 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
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Saturday | 11 January 2025 | Epaper

Encroachment, pollution put rivers, canals in death throes in Shariatpur

Published : Sunday, 22 December, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 151
Abul Bashar
SHARIATPUR, Dec 21: At least 11 rivers and numerous canals in the district are in existence crisis due to encroachment and pollution. 

Local influential people have occupied river and canal banks, by building buildings, business establishments, and brick kilns. 
All rivers and canals in six upazilas of the district are facing the same dying conditions.
According to sources at the District River Protection Committee, there are a total of 11 big, small, and branch rivers in Shariatpur.  

These are: Padma River, Meghna (Lower), Kirtinasha, Arial Khan, Jayanti, Munshirhat, Naodoba, Mora Kirtinasha, Burirhat-Bhedarganj, Kirtinasha (Kazirhat) and Sureswar-Damudya River.

The Kirtinasha River has started from the Padma River in Naria Upazila. Flowing southwards through Shariatpur District town, it joined the Arial Khan River through Kalkini in Madaripur District. 

This was once a powerful river, flowing through the middle of the district, and has been narrowed due to encroachment on its banks in various parts. Two decades back, passengers' launches and cargo boats used to ply on the river, known as an important waterway for traders from Bhojeshwar Port in Naria Upazila, Gayatola Bazar, Rajganj Bazar and Angaria Port in Sadar Upazila.
 
In addition, locals depended on the river for their agriculture, household work and fishing. But now the river is gradually shrinking and becoming a narrow canal.

Due to encroachment, pollution and sand excavation from the river and cutting the river bank, the river is now struggling to survive.

Recent visits to Kotapara, Rajganj and Angaria in Shariatpur Sadar Upazila, Moktarer Char, Bhojeshwar Bondor in Naria Upazila and other areas found brick kilns on the banks of the Kirtinasha River.



Local influential people have been occupying the river banks and building brick kilns for the last 12 years.

Abdur Rahim, Shahin, Mosharraf and many other residents of Rajganj in Shariatpur Sadar Upazila, said, once big launches and goods-laden cargo ships used to ply on the Kirtinasha River; now, the movement of boats and trawlers has become difficult.

 Sirajul Haque, a prominent businessman from Angaria Port in the same upazila, said, that once, the port's traders used to carry their goods with launches and cargo ships along the river; this would  reduce carrying costs; now, as the Kirtinasha River has been filled and narrowed; traders are being deprived of that facility; in addition, the Kirtinasha branch river flowing through Binodpur in Sadar Upazila has now been encroached by hyacinths; due to filling and encroachment, navigation has stopped.

The Arial Khan River, starting from Kirtinasha River, is 41 kilometre (km). It flows through Kazirhat in Jajira Upazila.

Due to encroachment and unplanned sand lifting from the river, the original design of the river has been lost. 

The origin of the Burirhat-Bhedarganj River is the Padma River in Sureshwar in Naria Upazila. It meets the Jayanti River in Damudya Upazila. 

Large concrete buildings have been built at various places in Bhedarganj Upazila headquarters by encroaching the banks of the 9km river. 

Traders of Bhedarganj market Abul Hashem Dhali, Shafiqul Islam, Iqbal Hossain, Roman Sikder, BM Mostafa and many others said, large boats used to ply on this river at one time; now it is difficult for goods-laden trawlers to enter the river.

The origin of the Jayanti River, which flows through Damudya Upazila, is the Burirhat-Bhedarganj. This 26km flows through Gosairhat Upazila, falling into the Meghna River. 

Launch communication with Dhaka and Barisal is still active through the river. Yet, local influential people have occupied the west bank of the river in various places in Damudya Upazila Sadar and built brick buildings, including shops, pharmacies and private hospitals. 

Sand traders have occupied the east bank of the river.

Locals demanded the removal of illegal structures from the river. 

Prominent businessmen of Damudya Port Kamal Ahmed, Shamim, teacher Abdur Rob Mia and many others said, during the previous government's ruling term, local influential people occupied the river banks and built structures by using political influence.
 
Recent visits to Shariatpur Municipality found canals of Shariatpur useless due to encroachment, filling and pollution; residents of the municipality are not getting the benefits; the east-west canal flowing through Baghia, adjacent to the municipality's bus stand, once joined the Kirtinasha River; boats used to ply on this canal during the rainy season; there was a bridge over the canal; but after passing the time, the canal has been encroached; locals are filling in canals on both sides of the bridge and using it as a bus stand. 

Local Samrat Mia in Baghia area said, there was not just one bridge, there were three bridges over that canal; all of these have been encroached.

Most of the canals in the Shariatpur bus stand, Palang Bazar and Kotapara areas have been occupied. Local people have occupied these canals and built houses and other structures. The Kotapara Canal used to drain the water of the district town. 

Md Mahbubur Rahman Talukder, a resident of Shariatpur Municipality, organizing secretary of District BNP and president of Palang Bazar Merchants' Association, said, it is very necessary to rescue the eastside of Palang High School at Kotapara intersection and Palang High School. 

Regarding the occupation of the canal at the bus stand, he said,  people have  also filled up the canal.

"We need good quality drains on both sides of the road," he added.

The most important Rajganj Canal runs from the Chowrangir Mor in the district town to the north through the Chhota Rajganj Bridge and then meets with the Kirtinasha River in the west. Boats used to ply through this 2km canal two decades back. The canal was the city's means of water drainage. But now, about half a km from Chowrangi to Rajganj Bridge has been occupied. The entire canal has been occupied by various establishments, including multi-storey buildings. 

The municipal administrator has recently started a canal rescue operation in the Rajganj Bridge area. 

Municipal Administrator Pinky Saha has taken the initiative to clear the dirt and garbage from the canal with an excavator, demolish several establishments that had been built encroaching on the canal and restore water flow in the canal.

 She said, the work of freeing the canal under the municipality from encroachment has started on the instructions of the DC. This will continue until it is rescued, he added.  

There is no account of rivers or canals of Shariatpur District at the office of District Water Development Board (WDB), Executive Engineer Mohammad Tareq Hasan said, adding that all details of  the rivers and canals can be found in the office of  the Deputy Commissioner (DC).  

Mohammad Tarek Hasan, executive engineer of Shariatpur District Water Development Board  (WDB) and member of the District River Protection Committee, said over cell phone, there is no account of rivers or canals of the district at the office of the WDB, adding that all details of  the rivers and canals can be found in the office of  the DC.  

When contacted, Rassel Noman, an assistant director of Shariatpur District Environment Department and member of District River Protection Committee, said, "The convener of the River Protection Committee can provide you good information on this issue."

 When asked about these issues, District River Protection Committee Member Secretary Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Md Masudul Alam said, "We have held a meeting on this issue. Eleven rivers have been identified in Shariatpur District. We have written to the concerned UNO, AC-Land and District Water Development Board (WDB). They have been instructed to provide a list of any illegal structures anywhere and we have asked the River Protection Commission for a budget to recover them."

 District River Protection Committee President and DC Mohammed Ashraf Uddin told this correspondent that a strong action would be taken in this regard very soon.



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