JS body for steps to remove waste from Buriganga river bed

The parliamentary watchdog on water resources recommended taking necessary measures to remove waste from the Buriganga river bed.

In a meeting at the Parliament on Thursday, the committee suggested the authorities concerned to ensure that no more waste is dumped in the river. 

The committee discussed the overall activities of the National River Protection Commission and its current problems and solutions. 

The Jatiya Sangsad (JS) body also recommended providing a list of rivers that existed in the region during British rule and the rivers that exist now. 

The committee suggested including public awareness articles in educational activities to prevent pollution of rivers, canals and water bodies. 

The recommendations came at the 46th meeting of the committee presided over by its chairman Major (retd) Rafiqul Islam. 

The secretary of the Ministry of Shipping, chairman of the National River Protection Commission, relevant senior officials of the ministry and National Parliament Secretariat were present at the meeting. 

National River Conservation Commission (NRCC) Chairman Dr Manjur Ahmed Choudhury said, "We have already evicted most of the encroachers, but cannot reduce the pollution. We continue to work and do not give any exemption to those who pollute the river. All-out action is being taken against the polluters."

He said, river pollution is considered a crime at the moment.

"We are not giving any concessions to the institutions built on the river. However, we have given the opportunity to move some residential buildings due to humanitarian reasons," the NRCC chairman said.

"Hopefully we will be able to free the rivers in Dhaka from occupation and pollution before March the next year. We are working hard. But we have some challenges. We have a manpower shortage and fund crisis. Besides, we are not getting cooperation from different concerned departments in the city", he said.

Dr Manjur said, "WASA is failing to do its duty properly on waste treatment. All the sewerage lines go direct to the river and pollute water. However, to address the issue we are going to set up some treatment plants."

Further, we got the highest cooperation from Dhaka South City Corporation over the pollution issue but the Dhaka North City Corporation avoided us. We sent them letters several times over the issue and invited the mayor to join our meeting with stakeholders. But the mayor was indifferent.

Member of the Standing Committee on Ministry of Shipping SM Shahjada said, in the meeting, a detailed discussion was held about the overall activities of the National River Protection Commission and its current problems and solutions.

"The National River Conservation Commission is working hard to recover the grabbed river. They make a bow to recover all the grabbed river in Dhaka and its periphery before March 2023. We see satisfactory progress there" he said.

Dhaka district has a total of 11 rivers including Buriganga, Turag, Shitalakshya, Ichhamati, Balu, Banshi, Gazikhali, Kaliganga.

"However, we emphasise Buriganga. We want to make the river pollution free," he added.

Besides, the Committee recommends taking necessary measures to remove waste from the Buriganga river bed and to ensure that waste is not dumped.

Asked about the eviction drive of the BIWTA, he said, all the rivers are not under jurisdiction of the BIWTA. They maintain the river to keep it navigable. Some other departments of different ministries are in-charge of saving the river.