CHANDPUR, May 17 (UNB): The tranquil waters of the mighty Meghna River have turned into a graveyard for aquatic life once again.
From early Friday morning, hundreds of lifeless fish of various indigenous species were seen floating along the riverbanks stretching from Shatnol to Dashani in Matlab Uttar upazila, triggering alarm and anguish among local fishermen and riverside communities.
An on-spot visit on Friday revealed that the stench of decaying fish now hangs heavy in the air, while the once-pristine river, a lifeline for thousands, bears the scars of pollution and neglect.
Locals claimed that the unchecked discharge of toxic industrial waste and chemically contaminated water continues to poison the Meghna, rendering it unfit for both human use and aquatic life.
According to the Department of Environment (DoE) in Chandpur, similar mass fish mortality was investigated earlier this year in January due to water pollution.
The recurrence of such incidents calls for fresh inquiries and immediate intervention.
During the field visit, the devastation was all too evident. Shoals of dead fish, including jatka, chewa, bele, tengra, puti and chapila, were seen drifting lifelessly near the banks.
The pungent odour of decomposing fish has made life unbearable for nearby residents.
Many complain that the river water - once a daily necessity - has now become hazardous to touch, let alone consume.
Matlab Uttar's Senior Fisheries Officer, Bijoy Kumar Das, said, "This is no ordinary fish death - it's an ecological disaster. Polluted water from Narayanganj's Shitalakkhya River has repeatedly wreaked havoc here. Similar incidents were recorded in March 2023 and August 2024. This time, the scale seems greater."
Local fishermen, who ventured out early in the morning, were the first to discover the tragedy.
Palash Barman, a fisherman from Shatnol and his brother said, "This river is our life. But it's no longer teeming with fish; it's laced with poison. This has been happening for years, and no effective action is ever taken. If this continues, the river will be emptied of all life."
For the communities whose lives are entwined with the river, the floating carcasses of jatka and tengra are not just signs of ecological decay, but grim symbols of livelihoods slipping away.
The implications are severe, particularly for the future of hilsa, Bangladesh's national fish. The mass death of jatka has sent ripples of concern through the fishing community. "If the young hilsa continue to perish like this,
there may be no hilsa to catch during the main season," lamented one worried
fisherman.
