RAIPUR, LAXMIPUR, Apr 25: Once a fast-flowing river supporting navigation, agriculture, and fisheries, the Dakatia River in Laxmipur's Raipur-Sadar belt is now on the verge of disappearance due to widespread encroachment and pollution.
The river, which once carried sailboats, cargo vessels and launches, has turned largely waterless in many stretches. What was once a vital lifeline for irrigation, fisheries and transport has now become a symbol of environmental neglect, locals say.
The river system, stretching about 50 kilometres across six upazilas of Chandpur and Laxmipur, is now mostly dry or reduced to narrow, silted channels during much of the year. Farmers say the loss of navigability and water flow has significantly increased irrigation costs and reduced agricultural productivity.
During the dry season, the riverbed often turns into sandbars, while unplanned dredging and lack of maintenance have worsened the situation. Once a source of abundant freshwater fish and rural livelihoods, the Dakatia is now described by locals as a "memory of the past."
In Raipur municipality, a one-kilometre stretch of the river was cleaned in July 2024 by municipal workers, removing water hyacinth and waste. However, locals say no sustained cleanup has taken place since then.
A recent visit to Raipur Upazila shows parts of the river have been converted into farmland, while other areas are cracked dry riverbeds. In some places, soil is being illegally excavated.
Along both banks, shops, houses, hotels, and small factories have been constructed, allegedly by influential individuals.
Industrial and household waste is regularly dumped into the river, further contaminating it. Water pollution has led to fish deaths and increased mosquito breeding, severely affecting public health.
Residents of Hajimara and surrounding areas say water hyacinth has taken over large sections of the river and its tributaries. The once-flowing river has now turned into a series of stagnant, polluted patches.
Locals also say illegal land grabbing and unregulated filling have reduced the river's width from its original 220 feet in many places to just 30-40 feet, effectively turning it into a dying canal.
Community members, including physician Dr Mobarak Hossain and social worker Shahid Patwary, said domestic and industrial waste is continuously being dumped into the river without any control.
River conservation activist Zillur Rahman said the Dakatia once served as the main transport route for the region, supporting trade, fisheries and livelihoods of thousands of fishermen.
"If authorities do not intervene immediately, the river will cease to exist," he warned.
Water Development Board officials said proposals have been sent for dredging several canals, including Dakatia, and eviction drives against illegal occupants will be conducted in coordination with the district administration and BIWTA once approval is received.
Raipur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mehdi Hasan Kawsar said initiatives are underway to restore and dredge canals under government programmes, expressing hope that the waterways will regain their former condition after intervention.
Meanwhile, Laxmipur-2 MP Abu Khair Bhuiyan said several canal restoration projects have already begun and more are awaiting approval.
Water Resources Minister and Laxmipur-3 MP Shafiqul Islam Anni recently said the government aims to dredge 20,000 kilometres of canals in five years as part of its election commitments, and progress is already visible.
Locals, however, stress that without urgent action, the once-living Dakatia River may soon be lost forever.
