The Marjat Baor (an old course of the river) of Kaliganj in Jhenaidah district is a witness of the ages. Around this horseshoe-shaped lake in Kastbhanga Union of the upazila, a festival of the Hindu community takes place. A gathering of thousands of people also takes place around the festival.
The lake, controlled by the government, is half a mile wide and seven miles long. It was declared an ecologically critical area (ECA) in 1999. However, even after 25 years, the authorities could not stop fishing in the lake.
A similar situation prevails in rivers flowing through or around Dhaka. Despite the declaration of ECA for the Buriganga, Balu, Turag, and Shitalakshya rivers, the unabated dumping of garbage and waste continues in these rivers. Of these, the situation on the Buriganga River is the worst, where dumping takes place from several sources, including the vessels.
Officials at the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change told Bangla Tribune that the ministry is actively involved in the implementation of ECA. Initiatives to implement ECA will come forward in the next few days. However, the officials also said that a shortage of manpower and a financial crisis are the barriers in this regard.
In accordance with the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act 1995 (last amended in 2010), the Department of Environment has declared some areas as ECA at different times to protect the country's important environment and biodiversity, as well as to conserve and improve the natural environment. The Department of Environment has declared 13 areas of the country as ECAs so far.
The Sundarbans (10km around the reserve forest), Cox's Bazar-Teknaf beach, Saint Martin’s Island, Sonadia Island, Hakaluki Haor, Tanguar Haor, and Marjat Baor were declared ECAs in 1999. Two years later, Gulshan and Baridhara lakes were declared ECAs. The authorities declared new ECAs for parts of the Buriganga, Balu, Turag, and Shitalakshya rivers in 2009, and the Jaflong-Dawki River in 2015.
Officials say that several areas came under ECA in 1999, but the regulations came much later. On September 22, 2016, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change formulated the Ecologically Critical Areas Management Rules, 2016.
The ECA area prohibits nine distinct activities. These activities include the felling or extraction of natural forests and vegetation, all types of hunting and killing of wildlife, the catching or collection of oysters, corals, turtles, and other wildlife, as well as any activities that destroy animal and plant habitats and may damage or alter the natural characteristics of land and water.
The ECA area prohibits the establishment of industries or establishments that pollute soil, water, air, and noise, engage in activities harmful to fish and other aquatic animals, discharge sewage and liquid waste, dispose of solid waste from homesteads, industrial establishments, and other institutions in rivers, reservoirs, lakes, and wetlands, and extract any other mineral resources, including stone, using mechanical, manual, or any other method.
However, there has been no implementation of this prohibition. Over the last two decades, the environment of the Buriganga River has not changed. Vessels regularly dump garbage, and this river receives the majority of Dhaka's sewage waste.
This correspondent spoke to Saifur, a staff member of the Sadarghat Parabat launch. He said: "Earlier, people from the city corporation used to come to the launch and take away the garbage. We used to collect garbage. They would come and get it. But for the last several months, they have not come. Now we have to make some arrangements. Some throw it in the river, and some throw it in the jetty area.”
Delwar, a staff member of Farhan-2 launch, said: "It is true that we throw out the waste in the river, but the water that is used to wash the vessels also goes into the river. Buriganga water is already dirty.”
Malik Fida Abdullah Khan, a member of the National River Conservation Commission, said that the environment ministry has made policies to protect the areas declared ECA. The Department of Environment is developing an information system. They may then provide that information to local administrations to implement the ECA. The administration will then take action accordingly.
A ministry official said that waste from Wasa, the city corporation, and sewerage is spilling into the four rivers around Dhaka. The ministry has repeatedly approached Dhaka Wasa and the city corporation. But there is no progress. If we can halt this threat, we can resolve the issue. He added that the ministry is even putting pressure on factories to stop river pollution.
The nephew of an influential leader of the ruling party is regularly collecting fish from Marjat Baor. Several local sources told this correspondent that the nephew of lawmaker Anwarul Azim Anar, who was recently murdered in India, is regularly collecting fish from the lake.
Ayub Hossain Khan, chairman of Kastabhanga Union, said: “I am in the committee of the Department of Environment. I heard a complaint go to the department; later, the deputy director came and hung a signboard. Despite widespread complaints about the lack of work, I am optimistic that the Department of Environment will take proactive measures in this area.
However, the related ministry is not able to protect the environmentally critical areas due to manpower and financial crises. According to several concerned officials, the first problem is that all 13 areas declared as ECA are tourist areas. Man-made crises are pushing these areas towards existential crises. Secondly, implementation of the ECA has been slow due to budget problems, which some officials hope will begin to trickle down soon.
When asked about this, Additional Secretary (Environment Division) Fahmida Khanam said: "There are 13 ECAs in the country. We are developing a management plan. There are numerous challenges associated with the implementation of the ECA. Many have questions regarding government land and private land. The implementation requires the management of all aspects.
She mentioned that the demarcation work is currently underway. "Already, we are finishing the demarcation of Cox's Bazar. We will gradually complete the work by mapping each area.”
According to a source at the ministry, the process of collecting a loan from the World Bank to implement ECA is underway.