DoE orders Barishal college to restore filled pond

BARISHAL, Oct 20: The Department of Environment (DoE) has ordered the principal of Government Barishal College to remove sand dumped into part of a pond in front of the institution and restore the water body to its previous condition.

The order followed an on-site inspection that confirmed part of the pond had been filled. Local residents alleged that trucks delivered sand to the site at night.

In a letter issued Sunday, the DoE gave Principal Prof Dr Md Mohiuddin until October 25 to stop the filling, remove the sand and submit land ownership documents. It warned of legal action for noncompliance. The letter, signed by Assistant Director Kazi Saifuddin, said the inspection followed a telephone complaint. It did not specify the pond’s total area, the extent of the filling or those responsible.

College authorities acknowledged that the work had begun, saying soil tests were conducted for a proposed 10-storey building. Work was suspended after the department raised objections. Discussions were underway with national political leaders about constructing a student hostel.

Principal Mohiuddin said the college lacked residential facilities despite serving students from rural areas. He said the institution planned to build a hostel on half of a 1-acre plot near the mosque at the main entrance, where part of the adjacent pond had already been filled.

He said waste from a nearby clinic and rubbish dumped by residents had accumulated in the remaining section, potentially creating a mosquito breeding ground.

 The college began filling it with sand and planned to build a temporary tin-and-timber structure that could accommodate at least 25 students, he said.

Barishal has lost many ponds and other water bodies over the years. An environmental organisation’s report identified 436 ponds owned by government bodies and educational institutions under the city’s 2011 master plan. The number has since fallen below 200. Environmental activists estimate that the city once had nearly 2,000 ponds, including privately owned ones, but say only a handful of private ponds remain.

Poet Henry Swapan said ponds help retain rainwater and that filling them can increase water logging risks, particularly when drainage routes are restricted. He said public protests had previously stopped college authorities from filling the pond.

Lincoln Bayen, Barishal Divisional Coordinator of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association, said the organisation had taken legal action to protect water bodies. The High Court recently issued an injunction against filling a pond in the nursing quarters area of Ward 19. The work remains suspended. Bayen said the organisation would consider further action after reviewing the authorities’ instructions concerning the college pond.

Nusrat Naoshin, Barishal Sadar Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land), said changing land classification requires legal procedures and approval. Unauthorised pond filling may constitute a punishable offense, she said. The deputy commissioner’s office had not received a copy of the department’s notice.

Barishal City Corporation Administrator Advocate Bilkis Akhtar Jahan Shirin said government institutions must obtain the required environmental and city corporation approvals before filling ponds for development projects. She said city corporation officials stopped the work after learning of the incident.