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

What will happen if rivers die?

Published : Wednesday, 16 August, 2017 at 12:00 AM  Count : 332
Mir Abdul Alim
Our rivers are dying. Some are becoming dry canals. The seizures of the river are occupying the river banks by building houses and industrial factories. They are being contaminated by toxic sediments. We are polluting the river water. And because of India's dam, which controls the water flow, the rivers are getting less water; hence our rivers are losing their vitality.
Buriganga, Shitalakshya, and Turag are being filled and constructions are being made around the rivers, and people are collecting sand or doing bamboo business on the banks of the rivers. The court has done their job but occupiers don't even bother to obey the court orders.
It seems that, there is no end to the incidents of river seizing and pollution. Like, Nunretek of Sonargaon is a slab, surrounded by the Meghna River. The population of the village is nearly 12 thousand. Gucchogram, Ragunar Char, Sabujbagan mohallas together are known as Mayadip, a part of Nunertek. Around 400 families live in Mayadip. Because of the illegal sand lifting from Mayadip by the local leaders the slab is almost wiped out. Villagers claim that, if this trend continues, all of their houses will be lost in the river.
There is road beside Chorchartal village in Ashuganj Upazillla which leads to Ashuganj Fertilizer Factory and walking towards west, one will see the huge sand field. A large part of the river is filled with sand. It is found in the news that a plastic factory is going to be built. That's why the river has been filled.
Human rights and environmental organisations filed a public interest petition to the High Court to stop pollution and eradication of illegal occupation and construction in the four rivers around Dhaka, Buriganga, Turag, Balu and Shitalakshya. This verdict in protecting the four rivers includes nine instructions. These are: CS and RS according to the map, four of the rivers boundaries survey has to be done. In the same period the rivers are to be declared as an ecologically compact area and in the next six months, there will be necessary guidelines to protect the rivers.
In order to save rivers the boundaries of the river should be set up and the construction of roads and trees on the riverbank has to be built and planted. In the same period, all structures built in the river have to be removed. "National River Protection Commission" should be formed. The four rivers around Dhaka city has to be dug up and plastic bags including others garbage has to be removed. The responsible authority has to take an active step to dispose all the pending environmental cases in the court. We have to remove shops and other buildings from all the government land on the banks of the rivers along the Bakland dam of old Dhaka.
The government's move to lift polyethylene from the bottom of Buriganga also faces failure due to the lack of proper planning. Because of the heavy pollution of the river, the odour level is high. However, there is hope also. Within the time remaining, if all of us come forward to protect the rivers, it is possible to save the country from environmental disaster.

Mir Abdul Alim is a journalist





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