The Hazaribag Bottola Mazar Canal in Dhaka, which had remained in a near-dead state for years due to the accumulation of garbage and plastic waste, has finally been revitalized with the support of youth volunteers.
Over a continuous 12-day campaign, 35 truckloads of waste were removed and the cleanup was completed on Monday.
The campaign was conducted under the "Cholo Khaal Bachai" initiative, with support from the Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).
Years of neglect had blocked the canal’s natural flow, leading to severe waterlogging during the rainy season.
The stagnant water and accumulation of waste had turned the area into a breeding ground for mosquitoes, posing serious health risks to local residents.
Hundreds of volunteers and local residents took part in the cleanup.
They did not stop at just removing the waste; they also engaged in awareness campaigns and environmentally friendly maintenance activities around the canal.
According to the organizers, such active participation from the community was crucial for the success of the project.
Officials from the environment ministry and DSCC praised the initiative as a model for restoring Dhaka’s canals.
Shah Rafayat Chowdhury, president of Footsteps Bangladesh, said: “Years of accumulated waste had brought this canal to a near-dead state. With Berger’s support and government collaboration, we have shown that even neglected canals can be revived.”
This was the second campaign under the "Cholo Khaal Bachai" movement, and the organizers emphasized that expanding public-private partnerships is essential for safeguarding the city’s waterways.
