BIWTA moves against grab of river banks

The government has taken multiple measures to check further encroachments on the reclaimed land of the rivers around Dhaka city, an official said.
Afforestation on river banks, strong boundary pillars and removal of waste are among the steps to ensure navigability and free the rivers of pollution.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) move came in sync with its ongoing drive against encroachments on the Buriganga and the Turag.
The entity under shipping ministry has so far demolished hundreds of structures, including boundary walls of housing companies, concrete buildings and makeshift structures, on the river banks.
Last January, the BIWTA launched the drive to evict the grabbers of the rivers, the lifeline for the capital city, and flatten the structures they built illegally.
It has also taken a Tk 8.48-billion project to build 19 jetties in areas covering Aminbazar, Gabtoli, Kanchpur, Tanbazar, Machuwabazar and Khanpur.
It will construct a 50-kilometre walkway, plant saplings along the path and set up three eco-parks at Shinnirtek, Tongi and Ashulia under the project.
Meanwhile, shipping secretary Md Abdus Samad said on Saturday the government would fortify the drive against encroachers and go for afforestation on reclaimed land.
"We'll go for afforestation… and install strong pillars to delimit the rivers," he told a discussion marking World Water Day at the National Press Club.
Mr Samad said his ministry would take effective steps to prevent pollution by sealing channels and sources that empty polluted water into rivers.
He underscored the need for fortifying the environment department to help prevent industrial waste mingling with river water.
The secretary said the government would take an initiative to extract waste from river beds after consulting local and foreign experts.
"The rivers are our lifeline… They're like our mother. If we fail to save rivers, it'll be hard for us to preserve our culture, heritage and economy as a whole."
Mr Samad said cities are being built on river banks, but river water is important for agriculture, fisheries, waterway communication and economy.
The government has allocated funds to save river banks and maintain navigability of the rivers, he added.
Mr Samad said the government would dredge 10,000-kilometre waterway as per the Delta Plan 2100.
The daily Janata and Premier News Syndicate Ltd (PNS) organised the event with PNS chief editor Md Shahabuddin Sikder in the chair.
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