The government is set to form the National River Protection Commission, seven months after passing the National River Protection Commission Act in the parliament on July 14, 2013.
A proposal to appoint former rural development and cooperative secretary Dr Mihir Kanti Mojumder as the first chairman of the commission was sent to the Prime Minister’s Office from the public administration ministry on Tuesday.
According to the shipping ministry, the commission will function in specific eight events including protecting the rivers from encroachment and water contamination, resisting and removing illegal construction from across the river embankments, recovering the navigability of the rivers and ensuring multiple uses of the water bodies. The commission will suggest the government to take steps in this regard.
The members of the commission would also be appointed if the proposal got the go-ahead of the prime minister, the officials of the ministry said.
Fouzia Nahar, joint secretary to the shipping ministry had been already made the commission’s member secretary.
Contacted, Shipping Secretary Syed Monjurul Islam said formation of the commission was under process.
“We have sent the names of proposed chairman and members to the public administration ministry to appoint them according to the recommendation of the search committee. The ministry has sent it to the Prime Minister’s Office for approval,” he added.
The secretary said the commission would be formed comprising a chairman, a woman member and three members and it would function under the Shipping Ministry as a statutory body.
“The members of the commission will be appointed for three years.”
The experts of public administration, law, human rights, river management or engineering, river survey and environment would be prioritised for the post of chairman and members.
Of the five members, one would be appointed as full timer and the rest honourary.
The formation of the commission is expected to help the government to recover the rivers from grabbing and save the river water from contamination.
