Once a vital route for trade and transportation, the Shitalakkhya is now struggling to survive. Over the years, factories, dyeing units, brick kilns, warehouses and illegal settlements have rapidly expanded along its banks. Areas such as Fatullah, Signboard, Kanchpur and Bandar have witnessed extensive commercial encroachment that has narrowed the river's natural flow and reduced its navigability.
There was a time when large cargo vessels moved freely on the river throughout the year. Today, sedimentation and illegal occupation have created sandbars and reduced water depth. Industrial structures appear to have been pushed directly into the river itself, severely disrupting the ecosystem.
Industrial pollution remains the greatest threat to the Shitalakkhya. The industrial belt of Narayanganj hosts hundreds of textile mills, dyeing factories, paper industries, pharmaceutical plants and chemical factories. Many of these establishments continue to discharge untreated liquid waste directly into the river every day. These wastes contain harmful dyes, detergents, acids, heavy metals and toxic chemicals that endanger both aquatic life and human health.
Although environmental laws require industries to operate Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs), many factories either lack functioning ETPs or avoid using them regularly to reduce operational costs. As a result, untreated industrial waste flows into the river through hidden drainage systems. In several parts of the river, the water has turned black and foul-smelling, resembling industrial dye more than natural water.
The impact on biodiversity has been devastating. Fish species once abundant in the river, including shing, magur, tengra and koi, have become increasingly rare. Local fishermen report drastic declines in fish populations, while floating plastic waste, chemical sludge and polluted water now dominate the landscape.
Pollution from industries is compounded by household and municipal waste from surrounding urban areas. Poor drainage systems allow sewage, rainwater and domestic waste to enter the river untreated. Consequently, nearby residents increasingly suffer from skin diseases, respiratory problems and waterborne illnesses such as diarrhoea and dysentery.
Saving the Shitalakkhya requires collective action from government authorities, industries, environmental organisations and ordinary citizens.
Abul Bashar Meraz
Senior Program Officer
SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), Bangladesh
