Saving rivers around Dhaka

While most rivers of the country are facing vulnerabilities of all sorts-encroachment, pollution, siltation, a lack of navigability and so on, the situation is even direr for the rivers surrounding the capital. A couple of the rivers are literally lifeless having lost their channels. Despite repeated calls for their preservation and the introduction of a 20-year master-plan aimed at protecting them, progress of work remains elusive.
Rivers are believed to be one of the worst victims of public neglect and onslaught in this country, especially those flowing close to, or around townships, business centres and urban habitats. This is an age-old narrative of utter lawlessness and anarchy --- to say the least--- fuelled by greed, and more than anything, failure of the authorities to rein in the influence of the powerful quarters or individuals who find rivers and river banks a potentially gainful spoilsport. While river grabbing--- perfectly dubbed after the greed for lands on river banks--- has been going on undeterred for decades, lack of navigability of most rivers has become a cause of utter public misery. Occasional drives by the concerned state body, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) to rescue lands from the grabbers have not proved enough to convince the citizens that they are earnest in their task. On the other hand, there has always been an element of cynicism, too, regarding the government's position in remaining firm and steady to bring things to order.
We have seen many drives in the past, mostly ill-organised, hence rendered ineffective and fruitless. However, the initiative taken by the BIWTA in 2019 deserves some credit in that it was far better coordinated, well organised, and as public perception went, backed by political will. The drive to evict unauthorised installations did succeed considerably, mainly on the banks of the major rivers around the capital including the Buriganga, the Turag and the Shitalakhya. Well-built structures, including multistoried ones, warehouses, even factories were demolished and the occupied lands on the river banks reclaimed. True, some partisan groups managed to stay safe and unhurt under various pretexts including court verdict in their favour. However, the way the drive was gaining momentum with overwhelming public support, one had the feeling that those unscathed would soon experience the same fate as of the rest. Unfortunately, the drive, the strongest ever, did not continue long enough. Fund, reportedly, was one key constraint.
What was important to do following whatever eviction work was done at that time was to draw the demarcation lines on the foreshores of the rivers in order to stop farther encroachment. The work started after a while under a project to install demarcation pillars, set up bank protection devices, walkways and other allied development works on the banks of the Buriganga, the Turag, the Balu and the Sitalakhya. The project work slowed due to the Covid pandemic; and because of time and cost over-run, the BIWTA reportedly sought more funds from the government to complete the project by 2024. In its revised proposal the BIWTA had incorporated new components including construction of 35.35 kilometres of drain along the walkways as the major reasons for seeking the revision. Erection of 3,850 boundary pillars, construction of 17.75 kilometres of walkway and removal of 18.21 cubic-metres of earth and establishment of four stations and 14 jetties for riverine transports were the major components of the project. It is not known what happened next.
There is more to the subject. Navigability in some of the aforementioned rivers is seriously at stake. Due to earth filling by grabbers, some of the vital river channels are no longer in existence which must be restored to their original state. Besides, improving overall navigability, particularly in the lean season, is extremely important. It may be noted that because of lack of navigability, the much drummed up water bus service could not succeed. There are of course other reasons for the failure of the water bus service, but had navigability been up to the satisfactory level, things might not have turned this bad.
It is axiomatic that rivers close to big cities have historically played a significant role in the development and prosperity of urban areas. While their aesthetic appeal contributes to the beauty and allure of cityscapes, their practical benefits far outweigh their scenic value. Rivers have been vital for facilitating human mobility, acting as natural highways for transportation and communication. In addition, rivers enable cities to access resources from distant areas, supporting industries such as agriculture, fishing, and manufacturing. Cities with navigable rivers become hubs of commerce and cultural exchange, attracting businesses, traders, and settlers, which further stimulate urban growth. The presence of a river also means access to fresh water, essential for drinking, irrigation, and industry. Maintaining navigability of the rivers, particularly in the lean season, is thus crucial to giving the Dhaka rivers a lease of life.
The 20-year master plan drafted in 2021 reportedly incorporated a comprehensive plan of action to address major issues like pollution, illegal occupation, and navigability of the rivers. It is high time the authorities initiated necessary moves to implement the master plan. Given the apolitical character of the interim government, it is expected that enforcement measures would not be a major problem at this point in time.

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