Staff Reporter :
Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Water Resources Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has said that citizens must abandon the belief that democracy will simply revert to its previous, flawed state.
“People often think, what will really change—things will go back to how they were before. But if we think like that, nothing will ever change,” she warned. “Eight hundred and fifty children sacrificed their lives, and another four hundred and fifty children lost their eyesight. These were our children—yours and mine. So the country cannot return to what it was before, and there is no scope for that.”
She made the remarks on Saturday while speaking about the political landscape in post-uprising Bangladesh. Rizwana Hasan was addressing an event in Keraniganj’s Daripara Government Primary School field, where the government inaugurated a Tk 9.46 crore project to renovate, restore, beautify and protect 44 state-owned ponds and water bodies in Dhaka city and surrounding upazilas. The project is funded by the Climate Change Trust Fund.
Emphasising the importance of safeguarding public natural resources, the adviser said, “Protecting ponds and water bodies as national assets is our responsibility. Under this renovation project, we will demarcate boundaries, install boundary pillars, evict illegal occupiers, dredge and rebuild embankments, replace water, remove pollution, construct ghats, build walkways, set up benches and plant trees.”
Rizwana Hasan said natural water bodies play a crucial role in mitigating climate risks. Most of Dhaka’s wetlands, she noted, are under severe threat from encroachment, landfilling and pollution. According to government records, Dhaka metropolitan area and the district have a total of 113 state-owned ponds. In the first phase, 44 of them have been selected for restoration, while the district administration has been instructed to prepare a list of the remaining water bodies for step-by-step rehabilitation.
Urging the public to refrain from using polythene, she said the material poses severe dangers to both the environment and public health. She added that due to increased government oversight and public awareness, most superstores have significantly reduced the use of polythene bags. “Environmental protection requires strong civic responsibility. Everyone must avoid using polythene,” she said.
On the issue of illegal stone extraction in Sylhet, the adviser said, “Those involved in looting white stone blocked the cars of two of our advisers with loud slogans. But it was only due to public outrage that the illegal extraction finally stopped.”
