Earthquake, environmental threats grip N’ganj

Mushtaq Ahmed Shawon :

The groundwater level in Narayanganj is steadily declining, raising concerns among environmentalists about increased earthquake risks and broader environmental damage. According to the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), water pumps are increasingly failing as they can no longer reach the groundwater. Authorities are urging the public to shift towards using surface water sources.
The most significant drop has been observed in Kutubpur Union of Narayanganj Sadar Upazila, where drinkable water is now only available at a depth of 230 feet. Experts predict that within a year, the water table could fall further to 240 feet. Continuous pollution of surface water has made the situation worse, and even after treatment, river water is not meeting the growing demand.
Sources at the DPHE report that several areas, including Gognagar, Boktaboli, Kutubail, and Shibumarket, are currently at high risk. Industrial zones are particularly alarming, with groundwater levels falling rapidly. In Gognagar, for instance, the water table was just 51 feet deep in 2010, but over the past decade, it has plunged to over 100 feet. By 2025, it’s estimated to drop beyond 151 feet. The situation is similar in Fatullah, Rupganj, and Sonargaon.
Every year, the DPHE measures Narayanganj’s groundwater levels. Officials from Sadar Upazila noted that over the past year, groundwater levels in Fatullah, Enayetnagar, and Kashipur Unions have dropped by an average of 10 feet. In other areas like Kutubpur, Gognagar, Alirtek, and Boktaboli, the drop was between 1 and 2 feet.
The most significant depletion is seen in industrial zones like Fatullah, Enayetnagar, and Kashipur, where dyeing factories are heavily dependent on groundwater. Officials explained that this heavy withdrawal is putting immense pressure on underground reserves.
In Enayetnagar Union, safe drinking water, previously accessible at 175 feet in 2024, is now found at 188 feet. Similarly, in Fatullah, the depth has increased from 190 feet to 198 feet. Kashipur’s water table fell by 6 feet within a year, now reaching 171 feet. Gognagar saw a 2-foot drop to 142 feet, and Alirtek and Boktaboli each experienced a 1-foot drop, reaching 106 feet.
AB Siddique, President of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), said he has been working on this issue for the past 8-10 years. He pointed out that due to surface water contamination, people have been forced to drill as deep as 500 feet to access drinking water. Dyeing factories are the main culprits, withdrawing about 99% of groundwater used, yet the government has done little to address the problem.
Because of the falling water table, technical problems are becoming more frequent. Ishtiaq, a technician from a private firm in Fatullah, said many submersible pumps have burned out due to a lack of water, leading to frequent repairs.
Investigations reveal that in suburban areas, wells are now being drilled as deep as 500 feet, though water is often found only at about 250 feet below the surface.
DPHE officials stress that the only way to save groundwater is to shift toward using surface water like ponds, canals, and rivers. Unfortunately, these water bodies are too polluted for direct use, forcing people to rely on groundwater.
At a recent seminar on Shitalakkhya River pollution, Dr. Muhammad Sohrab Ali, Additional Director General of the Department of Environment, warned that water is becoming increasingly scarce for Narayanganj residents. He said that unless garment and industrial owners start recycling and reusing water immediately, even underground water will vanish in the near future.
He added that industries’ excessive extraction of groundwater could leave Narayanganj completely dry in just a few years. The Shitalakkhya River is nearly dead, and the Meghna River near Narayanganj has oxygen levels below 1%, far lower than the minimum safe level of 5%.
Dr. Sohrab Ali called on industries to reduce their liquid waste discharge to zero within the next two years. Otherwise, the government will have no choice but to shut down non-compliant factories.
At the seminar, representatives from garment industries demanded the government establish a central ETP (Effluent Treatment Plant) through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) as setting up individual treatment plants is too costly for small and medium factories.
The seminar was organized by the Department of Environment’s Dhaka Regional Office on Saturday morning at the Ali Ahmad Chunka Auditorium. It was presided over by HM Rashed, Deputy Director of the Department of Environment, Narayanganj.
Other speakers included Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad, Director of the Dhaka Region DOE, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Education and ICT) Ashfaqur Rahman, BAPA Senior Vice-President Zahidul Haque Dipu, former BAPA General Secretary Tarek Babu, environmental activist and poet Arif Bulbul, and representatives from various industries like Parvez Knit Garments, Knit Concern Garments, and Mother Color.