Protecting rivers around metropolis

A large portion of the river Buriganga in Lalbagh area has been filled with earth. The site is now being used as a parking lot. A photograph published in a local daily on November 19 last showed how the river channel has been permanently grabbed for truck stand. About six months ago the dumping of earth was completed. The photograph also clearly shows the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-10 had placed a signboard earmarking the place for construction of its office building there. The signboard of the elite strike force is now almost buried under the filled-up earth and only its top attracts public attention.
That means the grabbers have already occupied this land earlier selected by the RAB authority for its office. It also gives rise to curiosity of the people how the RAB could select a place of the river channel at a time when the government repeatedly announced its resolve to restore the rivers around Dhaka city.
In another photograph appeared in a newspaper on November 17 last it is found that filling of sand on the Turag river at Pirulia Point on the outskirts of Dhaka city has been continuing in violation of a High Court order. It is common sight that the land grabbers are filling up river beds and occupying the banks of rivers at will around Dhaka city. The land grabbers are carrying out their business with impunity at the behest of some officials of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), according to a press report.
Two years ago, Prime minister Sheikh Hasina announced that her government had taken measures to protect the four rivers -- Buriganga, Shitalakhya, Turag and Balu -- flowing around the metropolis through restoring their navigability. But the government steps so far taken to save these four rivers are yet to make any headway.
Ceaseless dumping of wastes, haphazard dredging and encroachment on these rivers continue unabated. A survey on the wetland around Dhaka city says that all such lands will cease to exist by next two decades if the encroachment continues at the present rate. Vast tracts of land in low-lying areas along the rivers -- Buriganga, Shitalakhya, Turag, Balu and Dhaleshwari -- are being filled up by the land grabbers. The filling of marshy tracts is being carried out with sand taken from the river Meghna. Influential people are engaged in developing the lands for housing projects despite warnings issued by the government from time to time not to do so.
Over the years the environmentalists and cross section of people are demanding of the government to save the rivers in the country as those are losing their depth at a faster pace and being occupied by land grabbers. The navigability of the rivers has fallen at an alarming rate. Nearly 90% rivers in Bangladesh have already lost navigability. Withdrawal of water from the common rivers through building dams on those by India has aggravated the situation and led to the closure of river routes either permanently or partially. Already considerable damage has been caused to aquatic life.
The Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC), with financial and technical assistance of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, had conducted a survey on rivers in Bangladesh. The survey report reveals that about 100 species of fish have become extinct. Other reports suggest that a good number of fishes which are still available may go out of existence in the absence of proper measures. Particularly, in northern region of the country major rivers and their tributaries are in the process of drying up.
The trade and commerce through the inland water route has been gravely affected. The river transports offer the cheapest means of communication for passengers and cargoes. Carrying of fertilizers, oil and other essential commodities by the rivers has become difficult, if not impossible. This, in turn,   has enhanced the prices of various essential items due to increased costs involved in road transports.  
Under the circumstances, restoring rivers around Dhaka city as well as elsewhere in the country is a crying need of the hour. Any delay in implementation of the work on restoration of the rivers will further increase the use of our fast vanishing ground water which we must avoid at all costs.
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