Over 50,000 illegal river encroachers, but little is being done to save them
The National River Commission (NRC) has revealed that there are more than 50,000 illegal river encroachers throughout the country. The NRC prepared the list through the deputy commissioners of 64 districts in 2019. The district-wise list of the encroachers has also been published on the website of the commission.
Meanwhile, environmentalists have long been crying hoarse for devising intervention on the part of the government to save our rivers. Earlier in 2019, the High Court issued a 17-point directive to save the country’s rivers and water-bodies. Yet, our rivers continue to turn into drains.
It is unfortunate to note that most of the rivers have been illegally occupied by influential people and numerous institutions, destroying the entire ecological balance and natural beauty. According to the recent study conducted by the River and Delta Research Centre (RDRC), at least 500 rivers and tributaries have already disappeared from the atlas of Bangladesh since its independence in 1971. The authorities concerned have not been able to control the dumping of industrial effluents, domestic sewage, clinical wastes and solid wastes into rivers surrounding the capital.
It is time to take a holistic and unbiased approach to save the rivers across the country from encroachment. We have made mistakes in the way we treated our rivers so far. Let us not continue to make those mistakes in future. We all must raise our voices against pollution and encroachment of rivers across the country.
Not too long ago, the main way of our transportations was waterways. The major cities of this country are situated on the banks of rivers. Even the six main rivers surrounding Dhaka have been highly polluted by industrial and other waste. Factories dealing with medicines, readymade garments, dyeing, cement and other products have been discharging waste into the Buriganga, Shitalakshya, Turag, Dhaleshwari and Balu rivers for many years under the very nose of the authority.
What is desired now is a concerted and well-deployed move fuelled by adequate allocation of resources to save our rivers. Practice of waste dumping into the rivers should be stopped. Besides, steps should be taken so that new installations could not be built filling rivers. Water bodies of the country should be recovered for ensuring natural balance and protecting the environment keeping pace with development and urbanisation. Otherwise, with drying up rivers we all will be at risk of dying.
