Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Chairman Arif Ahmed Mostafa on Saturday said the BIWTA wants to enforce a plastic ban at all ports within a month.
“We have identified 130 sources of pollution in Dhaka. However, shutting them down may hamper living conditions. Hence, the industries must dispose of the waste according to the law,” he said.
The BIWTA chairman was speaking at a meeting on "River Rights" on World River Day 2023 on Saturday. The meeting was held at Tourism Bhaban in Agargaon in the capital.
“The sand extraction sites must be inspected to see how much sand will be extracted, and from where. Besides the draft list of the River Conservation Commission, we are actively engaged in a project to chart out a river route using the CS map. A project is already in progress to address the issue of plastic pollution in our rivers,” he said.
He added that his maternal grandmother's home is on the banks of the Shitalakshya River in Rupganj
“I used to learn to swim there, but due to pollution, the river is now under threat. The river is a place of emotions, like veins. Currently, rivers are getting polluted due to shipbuilding. One of the major sources of pollution is land-based, and some 5-7% is from shipbuilding. The government has taken initiatives to prevent river pollution,” he added.
He called on environmental activists to coordinate with the government’s initiatives.
Executive Director of BELA Syeda Rizwana Hasan said: "Bangladesh's rivers are being encroached on and polluted. However, not all news is covered by the media. So it is very important to have a hotline to protect the rivers.”
She emphasized that river rights are centered around humanity. She suggested that the River Conservation Commission should update its list of rivers and called for the creation of health cards to monitor the pollution status for river protection.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan also made a request to the BIWTA to take the initiative in developing these health cards to safeguard navigation and sand mining and address plastic pollution.
Md Monir Hossain, Chairman of Bangladesh River Foundation, said: "Though Bangladesh is a land of rivers, we have become distant from them. To know about the rivers, we have to go to the rivers, we have to travel, and build a relationship with rivers."
Mohammad Azaz, Chairman of River and Delta Research Centre (RDRC) and river researcher, delivered the keynote address at the event.
The main owners of the rivers are the communities living along their banks, relying on them for their livelihoods.
He said the existence of rivers has been eroded due to the powerful syndicates, and the biodiversity of the rivers is currently in jeopardy. “The rights of the people living along the rivers must be taken into consideration.”
Md Monir Hossain of Bangladesh River Foundation displayed photographs of some of the most polluted rivers in the country, among which are the Turag, Labandah, Haridhoa, Someshwari and Sutang.
"The Supreme Court's verdict is 'a river is a living entity'. River rights are like people's rights. Everyone is invited to protect the rivers,” said advocate Advocate Shafiq.
Nitya Rajbanshi, leader of a fisheries community, said he once had a good life depending on the rivers in Dhaka. “But due to pollution, fishermen currently catch fish for three to four months and remain unemployed for the rest of the year.”
Amjad Ali Lal, a boatman, said: " BIWTA cleans the rivers by dredging, others pollute it. The rivers are being taken over by everyone. Along with the rivers, we also have to clean our intentions."
Labandah-Gazipur representative Said Chowdhury, Narsingdi Environment Movement Secretary Praloy, PABA (Old Dhaka) activist Salim, and others also spoke at the meeting.
The speakers at the event emphasized the importance of safeguarding the overall environment of rivers to uphold their rights.
The event was jointly organized by the Bangladesh Citizens' Movement, Bangladesh River Foundation, River and Delta Research Center (RDRC), Nature Conservation Management, Nadi Adhikar Manch, and River Bangla with the support of USAID at the initiative of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA).
