Buriganga roars back to life
The Buriganga River came alive with a traditional boat race on Friday as part of the month-long ‘Dhaka at Heart 416’ festival, organized by the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) to mark 416 years of Dhaka as a capital city and foster a stronger sense of love, responsibility and belonging among residents.
The boat race began at 3pm from Kholamora Ghat and continued to Wise Ghat. Six teams from different parts of Bangladesh took part in the competition.
Following the race, an elaborate prize-giving ceremony was held aboard the century-old historic steamer PS Mahmud, anchored at Swarighat.
Thousands of enthusiastic spectators gathered along both banks of the Buriganga from Friday afternoon to watch the race. Many residents arrived with their families aboard hundreds of boats and trawlers, turning the river into a vibrant celebration of Dhaka’s history, heritage and civic spirit.
At the inaugural ceremony, Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shipping and Railways Sheikh Robiul Alam said the government was working to free the rivers surrounding Dhaka from encroachment and pollution and to ensure safe and uninterrupted navigation.
He said an integrated plan was being implemented with relevant agencies, including WASA, BRTA and the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, to keep the Buriganga, Balu and Dhaleshwari rivers free from pollution. Praising the DSCC initiative for showcasing Bangladesh’s cultural heritage to younger generations, the minister also pledged to improve the riverbanks and create more attractive spaces suitable for walking and recreation.
At the prize-giving ceremony, State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishrak Hossain described the event as a unique initiative to preserve Dhaka’s history and heritage.
He stressed the need for greater public participation in efforts to make Dhaka a clean, green, livable and environmentally friendly city. He also said similar programmes would continue in the future to preserve the cultural heritage of Old Dhaka.
DSCC Administrator and freedom fighter Md Abdus Salam said developing a love for Dhaka among residents would help strengthen efforts to build a cleaner and greener city.
He said the ‘Dhaka at Heart 416’ festival includes a range of programmes, including a mini-marathon, cycling rally, theatre festival and film festival, aimed at highlighting Dhaka’s rich culture.
He also referred to development plans in Kamrangirchar, including an eight-lane road and a landscaped riverside walkway, and urged residents to help keep the city clean and plant more trees.
After the competition, prizes were presented to the winning teams. The team led by Dhaka-7 lawmaker Hamidur Rahman Hamid won first place, while the team led by former ward commissioner Mosharraf Hossain Khokon secured second place. Anisur Rahman’s team from Madaripur finished third.
Among others, Feni-1 lawmaker Rafiq-ul-Alam Majnu, senior DSCC officials, representatives of various government agencies and members of the media attended the event.
