NN Online:
The Buriganga River is now on the brink of collapse, poisoned by decades of unchecked industrialisation, pollution, and neglect. Environmentalists warn that the river—central to Dhaka’s history, culture, and commerce—is dying a slow and painful death.
Stretching along the southern edge of Dhaka, the Buriganga has long served as a vital transport route and water source for millions. But today, its waters run black with waste from factories, tanneries, and residential areas.
“Every day, thousands of liters of untreated industrial waste flow into the river,” said Ahmed Kabir, an environmental researcher at Dhaka University told The New Nation. “It’s essentially become a toxic drain.” he said
The pollution stems largely from Hazaribagh and Keraniganj, where many leather processing factories and dyeing units discharge heavy metals and chemicals directly into the waterway. In addition to industrial pollutants, solid waste from households and markets piles up along the banks, forming floating islands of garbage.
The consequences are stark: aquatic life has all but disappeared, the water is unfit for any domestic or agricultural use, and people living near the river complain of persistent foul odors and health problems, including skin and respiratory issues.
Local boatmen and fisherfolk, once reliant on the river for their livelihood, are struggling to survive. “I used to catch fish here. Now, there is nothing left,” said Abdul Majid, a 60-year-old fisherman from Kamrangirchar. “The river is dead.”
Encroachment is another major issue. Illegal structures and land grabs have narrowed the river’s width and obstructed its natural flow. Despite government pledges to reclaim and clean up the Buriganga, progress has been slow and marred by bureaucratic delays and lack of enforcement.
Environmental activists are calling for immediate action, including strict monitoring of waste disposal, relocation of polluting industries, and investment in sewage treatment infrastructure.
“The Buriganga is not just a river. It’s part of our heritage and identity,” said Sharmin Akhter, a member of Save the Buriganga Movement. “Letting it die is a national tragedy.”
Unless urgent and sustained measures are taken, experts fear that the Buriganga may soon become biologically and economically irrecoverable.
