Participants of a human chain yesterday stressed the need for a coordinated water management policy for saving rivers and water bodies which are considered as lifeline of the country.
Speakers at the programme also called upon authorities concerned to save western bank of the Kirtankhola River from the demons of encroachments and pollutions.
The programmes was organised on the occasion of the International Day of Action for Rivers.
The rally was presided over by Rafikul Islam, joint convener of the Alliance for Observing International Day of Action for Rivers.
Among others the event was addressed by Ranjit Dutta, Lincon Bayen, Shuvankar Chakraborty and Dr Habibur Rahman.
The speakers said natural flows of the rivers were facing obstacles by the making of dams at different points, changing of flows of rivers in the name of different types of development works such as electricity production, making of flood controls dam and irrigation project.
They said Barisal town once called as ‘Venice of Bengal’ which had nearly 600 ponds and water bodies and 22 canals.
But rampant filling and encroachments of the water bodies are reducing the numbers day by day.