Can Dhaka (rivers) be saved, still?

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Five rivers in and around Dhaka city polluted by domestic, industrial waste, encroachment
• Govt to spend $20b over 7 years to revitalise these rivers
• 29 projects to address sewage, industrial waste, encroachment
• $51b will be lost due to river pollution in 20 years if no action taken
• River water quality "atrocious" with 30%-40% pollution from domestic waste
• Only 20% of Dhaka city has sewerage network, 1,250 million litres per day sewage ends up in rivers
• Industries discharge 1300MLD wastewater into rivers, only 20% have ETPs

Project after project was undertaken over the past two decades in an attempt to salvage the River Buriganga, and yet it continues to flow as squalid as before. Four other rivers around Dhaka city – Turag, Shitalakkhya, Balu, and Dhaleswari – are also in their death throes due to unchecked pollution and encroachment.

In light of this dire situation, the government has initiated an ambitious project with the aim of revitalising these five rivers flowing in and around the capital city within the next seven years. This endeavour entails the execution of approximately forty sub-projects in phases, with an estimated expenditure of $20 billion.

This task is nothing short of Herculean, given that rescuing these five rivers, integral to the capital's lifelines, has now escalated into a larger battle.

Experts see no alternative but to win the uphill struggle, as the preservation of the rivers is synonymous with safeguarding Dhaka city, which stands at the heart of the country's economic progress and attracts multibillion-dollar ventures such as metro rail and elevated expressway projects.

The latest mega plan, dubbed as the "Umbrella Investment Plan – Dhaka Rivers", exhibits a comprehensive approach, addressing all major factors contributing to the rapid degradation of water quality and flow. This encompasses issues like the city's sewage system, improper waste disposal, discharge of untreated industrial effluents into the rivers, and encroachment.

The Economic Relations Division (ERD) has outlined a roadmap for executing 29 projects by 2030, as part of a comprehensive governmental programme designed to mitigate pollution in the five rivers encompassing Dhaka city.

The Umbrella Investment Plan, prepared by the World Bank for the government, will be carried out over four phases, necessitating a phased investment of $20 billion – equivalent to $4 billion per year, according to a presentation at the Prime Minister's Office on 13 August.

ERD officials have said the implementation of this programme is set to commence this fiscal year under the guidance of the Prime Minister's Office. Although specific funding details for all the selected projects have yet to be finalised, the officials, however, said the World Bank earlier agreed to participate in several top-priority projects.

The government sought technical support from the World Bank after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had asked the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) in 2016 to work out a coordinated programme to save rivers in and around the capital city. In response, the World Bank conducted an extensive survey over three years on the Buriganga, Shitalakhya, Balu, Turag (including Tongi canal), and Dhaleshwari rivers.

Drawing from the findings and recommendations of the survey, the ERD has selected 29 projects out of the 48 proposals presented by various government agencies, all aimed at reducing pollution and safeguarding the rivers.

Officials said the government anticipates substantial financial assistance from the World Bank. Furthermore, funding requests might be extended to other development partners, including the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan's Government International Cooperation Agency (Jica).

  No action means $51b lost due to pollution in 20 years

The World Bank in its survey report has recommended the implementation of 29 projects by 2030 to decontaminate rivers around Dhaka.

The umbrella investment plan will require an annual investment of $3.2 billion for its implementation and an additional $0.8 billion for operation and maintenance every year till 2030, making the total funding needed $20 billion for 29 projects.  

If no action is taken against river pollution, its environmental, health and economic costs will soar to $51 billion over the next 20 years from $2.83 billion, according to the feasibility study "Restoration of Rivers of Dhaka" by the World Bank.

Why Dhaka city needs a complete overhaul

Dhaka alone generates 35% of the country's GDP and is expected to become the third-largest city in the world by 2050. By 2035, its population is estimated to be over 25 million.

But Dhaka is rated among the world's least livable cities partly because of mismanagement of the rivers, says the Dhaka Rivers Ecological Restoration Project information document released in April 2021.

It recalls the critical services historically provided to Dhaka city by the rich network of rivers and canals, terming that river management is still critical to quality of life and economic competitiveness of Greater Dhaka.

"With strategic development of eastern Dhaka that involves three critical interventions – building the eastern embankment along the River Balu, developing transport infrastructure, and reducing the cost of doing business in the new area – a higher growth is deemed possible, reaching $9,200 of per capita income at 2015 prices," it reads.

The World Bank's report called Dhaka's river water quality "atrocious" as about 30%-40% pollution load comes from domestic wastewater while industries contribute 50%-60%. Hospital waste is also a dangerous source of river water pollution, as over 200 tonnes of solid and liquid waste are generated in Dhaka's health facilities.

The current sewerage network covers only 20% of the city, and the city's only sewage treatment plant at Pagla processes only 30-40 million litres per day (MLD). Almost all of Dhaka's sewage, around 1,250MLD, ends up in its rivers, as there is no sewer regulator in Bangladesh to enforce standards, the World Bank report states.

River poisoning does not end here. Industries discharge 1,300MLD wastewater into Dhaka's rivers, according to a 2008 estimate, with textile and leather sectors being the two main polluters of Dhaka's waters, joined by sectors such as chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

Buriganga and the four other Dhaka rivers continue to receive about 60,000 cubic metres of toxic wastes discharged mainly from nine major industrial clusters – Tongi, Hazaribagh, Tejgaon, Tarabo, Narayanganj, Savar, Gazipur, Dhaka Export Processing Zone and Ghorashal.

Only 20% of the industries are estimated to have effluent treatment plants (ETPs), and many of the existing ETPs are poorly designed. As a result, the health, environmental, and economic costs associated with untreated industrial wastewater in Greater Dhaka are estimated to be US$150 million to $170 million annually.

After efforts for more than a decade, tanneries were shifted from the city's Hazaribagh area to save Buriganga. Still, they are now killing another river near the Savar Tannery Industrial Park because of its incomplete CETP.

As Dhaka city has expanded into nearby wetlands, a natural drainage system has been destroyed. Furthermore, more than 50 canals in and around Dhaka City, which drain about 80% of stormwater to the surrounding rivers, are disappearing due to encroachment and dumping of massive quantities of waste. Poor drainage results in two extremes: reduced river flows in some places and waterlogging or flooding in others.

Why attempts to revitalise Dhaka rivers have fallen short

At least Tk1,000 crore was spent to relocate Hazaribagh tanneries to Savar in 2017. Five more projects spent around Tk3,000 crore for the last two decades. But the 29-km Buriganga still flows with much less oxygen needed for fish to breathe.

The Asian Development Bank has an answer to why projects fail, embodying the opinions of urban development thinkers.

Drawing lessons from the unsuccessful endeavours to restore Manila's Pasig River, the lender observes that previous efforts to revive the Pasig River were largely ephemeral.

"Nearly all failed because those who wanted to clean the river concentrated only on the river and not on the combination of factors in the urban environment that had degraded and misused the river," it said as it joined the serious drive that began in 1991 and saw success in less than a decade after putting all efforts together under a single body – the river commission.

Can Dhaka rivers be brought back to life?

The World Bank survey outlines four priority lists. The first list comprises five investment projects: Dhaka Rivers Ecological Restoration Project, Dhaka Sanitation Improvement Project (DSIP), Bangladesh Environmental Sustainability and Transformation Project (BEST), and Acceleration of Dhaka Sewerage Master Plan (Mirpur, Rayerbazar, Uttara, and Dasherkandi).

Among these, the Dhaka Rivers Ecological Restoration Project stands out as a significant endeavour according to ERD officials.

The World Bank has approved funding for this project. Its main goals include enhancing water flows in Dhaka's rivers and canals and refining domestic wastewater management in alignment with Dhaka Rivers Master Plan and Dhaka Sewerage Master Plan.

The project will receive Investment Project Financing through IDA funding, totalling $635 million distributed across four components: River and canal rehabilitation ($295 million) to restore natural water flow, wastewater collection and treatment ($330 million) to enhance water quality, navigation improvement ($45 million), and institutional strengthening and project management ($10 million).

The Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development, and Co-operatives will implement the project.

The Bangladesh Environmental Sustainability and Transformation Project is also part of the first priority list and has secured World Bank financing of $250 million. Its aim is to foster green investments in specific sectors. Additionally, the Dhaka Sanitation Improvement Project intends to bolster sanitation efficiency within Dhaka Wasa.

Moving to the second priority list, the proposed construction of a hydro eco-park using the retention areas at Kallyanpur, to be implemented by Dhaka North City Corporation, envisions various amenities such as walkways, bicycle lanes, parks, gardens, jogging tracks, and playgrounds.

The second priority list includes another Development Eco Park at Goranchatbari pond area, along with the Buriganga riverfront development.

Within the third priority list, there are plans to reclaim and develop canals within Dhaka city, as well as to safeguard Postagola Cantonment from Buriganga erosion and restore the old Buriganga. The Dhaka Circular Route: Eastern Bypass Project, BWDB Component, also falls within this priority list.

The fourth priority cluster entails constructing pillars, bank protection, walkways, and jetties along Buriganga, Turag, Shitalakkhya, and Balu rivers (phase 3), establishing a 574km water route, developing a multimodal hub, and executing Dhaka Inner Circular Route (Part-2).

Numerous studies are planned at various stages of the project to identify further steps.

Successful implementation is expected to elevate living standards and health in Dhaka city and surrounding areas, contributing to the country's human capital development, a key factor in achieving the goal of becoming an upper-middle-income nation, as outlined in the project document.

There are instances

Cities worldwide are recognising the pressing need to rejuvenate their rivers and water bodies for the well-being of their inhabitants.

Manila's success stands out as the Pasig River, once lifeless, revived through collaborative efforts by local authorities, ADB, and Danida. ADB granted Manila $176 million in 2000 to rejuvenate the historic Pasig River, which had deteriorated due to pollution and waste discharge.

The strategy involved relocating families, creating green spaces, and reintroducing the Pasig River Ferry Service for transportation. Subsequent phases aimed at improving water quality.

The case of Pasig River underscores how concerted action can revive urban waterways, enhancing both environmental health and urban life.

Similarly, New Delhi, a landlocked metropolis heavily reliant on neighbouring states for water, is embarking on the City of Lakes initiative. This ambitious project seeks to transform 600 water bodies into natural reservoirs to harness rainfall. Notably, Timarpur Lake, once polluted and neglected, has been reimagined as a recreational space for families while serving as a clean water source.

Aksu, situated in China's Xinjiang region, illustrates another triumph. Through a comprehensive series of projects aimed at greening the desert-like area, a sprawling wetland park emerged. This endeavour not only safeguarded a tributary of the River Aksu but also facilitated the relocation of a coal-based power plant to ensure cleaner air. The park's transformation into a haven of trees, flowers, and lakes exemplifies its success.

Rivers are widely used for mass transport, tourism, and floating marketplaces in Bangkok in Thailand, and a number of cities in Vietnam and Indonesia.

References to success can be traced in Dhaka city too. Citizen activism in the 1990s prompted authorities to construct walkways protecting lakes in Dhanmondi, Gulshan, and Banani. The Hatirjheel project stands as a triumphant example of conserving the city's water bodies, offering leisure spaces and alternate waterways and bus routes for commuters.

The BIWTA's drives to reclaim the Old Buriganga channel also saw success as illegal structures, including high-rise buildings, were bulldozed in 2019. But, those successes could not be capitalised to carry forward more vigorous drives to protect the rivers to save the city and its people.