More than 424 government and private discharge points release around 330,000kg of liquid and solid waste into the Buriganga, Turag, Balu and Shitalakkhya rivers around Dhaka every day, with industries accounting for nearly 60% of the pollution, according to a Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) survey.
The survey identified untreated industrial effluent, sewage, household waste, plastic, oil, burnt lubricants and other solid waste as major pollutants. Of the 424 identified discharge points, 244 are linked to privately owned factories and industrial establishments.
Another 30% of the pollution enters the rivers through drainage systems operated by city corporations, Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) and local government bodies, while household and other sources account for the remaining 10%.
The findings come as the government has renewed efforts to tackle pollution in the rivers surrounding Dhaka following a series of meetings, a research report and field inspections in recent months.
Industries biggest polluters
A BIWTA action plan says nearly 7,000 small and large industrial establishments operate along the rivers around Dhaka, with around 99% reportedly lacking effluent treatment plants (ETPs).
Industrial establishments account for around 60% of the pollution, the action plan says. Other major sources include brick kilns, polythene, dockyards, burnt engine oil, vessels and household waste.
Experts say chemical industries and tanneries pose particularly serious risks because their wastewater can contain toxic chemicals.
The survey found 66 WASA drains directly connected to the Buriganga and Turag. Of these, 57 discharge into the Buriganga and nine into the Turag.
Dhaka South City Corporation has 21 identified drains, including 19 connected to the Buriganga and two to the Shitalakkhya. Dhaka North City Corporation has 16, with one connected to the Buriganga and 15 to the Turag.
Narayanganj City Corporation has 37 drains discharging into the Shitalakkhya, while four Gazipur City Corporation drains discharge into the Turag. Two drains from Postogola Cantonment are connected to the Buriganga.
Local government bodies also contribute to the pollution. Three Kutubpur Union Parishad drains, one from Zinjira, two from Kalindi and two from Shakta are connected to the Buriganga, while three Kaundia Union Parishad drains discharge into the Turag.
The Shitalakkhya receives waste through 10 drains from Rupganj Municipality, five from Tabaro Municipality, one from Kanchan Municipality, one from Ghorashal Municipality, and two from Baligaon and Kaliganj municipalities. Two Kanchpur Union Parishad drains and another Rupganj Municipality drain also discharge into the river.
A Bangladesh Water Development Board drain has also been identified as a pollution source in the Turag.
Rivers remain severely polluted
The Buriganga remains one of the starkest examples of Dhaka's environmental degradation. Its water has lost its natural color in many stretches, while dissolved oxygen levels have at times approached zero. Around 5mg per liter is generally considered necessary to sustain fish and other aquatic organisms.
Studies have also detected antibiotic residues in Buriganga water, including amoxicillin, penicillin, ciprofloxacin and azithromycin. Experts warn that pharmaceutical residues could contribute to antimicrobial resistance, particularly when untreated hospital and healthcare waste enters drainage systems.
Black oil, burnt lubricants and other petroleum-based waste from vessels are also regularly released into the rivers. Markets and riverside settlements contribute rotten vegetables, fruit, polythene, plastic and food waste to the waterways.
The rivers have remained severely polluted despite years of dredging, beautification, eviction drives and other restoration initiatives.
Government steps up efforts
The latest government push followed a series of meetings and decisions beginning in July.
A July 1 meeting between the prime minister and city corporation authorities discussed issues related to the Dhaka Inner Circular Road and broader urban development. The discussions were followed by renewed attention to the deteriorating condition of the capital's surrounding rivers.
A meeting on August 2 discussed measures to improve the water quality and environmental condition of the Buriganga, Turag and other rivers around Dhaka.
A research report published on August 4 identified pollution sources and outlined recommendations to address the problem. The report was subsequently circulated to relevant ministries, departments and agencies for necessary action.
A follow-up meeting was held on August 6 to discuss the findings and determine the responsibilities of the relevant agencies.
On August 26, committee members held another meeting and conducted a field visit to assess the condition of the rivers. The delegation included the Planning Adviser, Shipping Adviser, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, secretaries of various ministries and senior officials of relevant government agencies.
The committee is scheduled to meet again on September 1 at the Office of the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister to review the latest situation, discuss the field inspection findings and determine the next steps.
WASA is one of the main polluters
Environmental activist and architect Iqbal Habib identified Dhaka WASA's sewage and drainage system as one of the major sources of pollution.
“Dhaka's sewage is being discharged into the rivers through drains. There were plans to establish four sewage treatment plants in the capital,” he said.
The Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant has been constructed, but questions remain over its effective utilization and the extent to which the city's sewage network is connected to treatment facilities.
Habib said the remaining planned facilities need to be implemented alongside a system to reconnect Dhaka's canals with surrounding rivers.
“Building treatment plants alone will not solve the problem. The canals need to be connected to the rivers and the entire drainage and sewage system has to be redesigned,” he said.
He also called for proposed river and canal projects to be made public for expert and citizen review.
“Otherwise, thousands of crores of taka may be spent without actually saving Dhaka's rivers,” he warned.
Shipping Ministry Secretary Md Zakaria said the survey was conducted through field inspections.
“Through the survey, 424 sources of waste discharge have been identified. Polluted liquid waste is entering the rivers through these outlets every day,” he said.
He said the relevant authorities had been notified and that a meeting with the Chief Adviser's Principal Secretary would be held to discuss measures against the identified sources.
Experts say the findings must be followed by enforcement, including mapping the outlets, identifying their owners, monitoring waste discharge and ensuring industries operate functional ETPs.
They also called for clearer accountability among the Department of Environment, WASA, city corporations, BIWTA, the Bangladesh Water Development Board and local government bodies.
Unless the identified sources are stopped, environmentalists say, efforts to clean the rivers will provide only temporary relief.
The committee's September 1 meeting is expected to determine the next steps for addressing the identified pollution sources and coordinating action among the agencies involved.