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Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee has called for coordinated and long-term measures to control pollution, restore navigability and ensure the natural flow of rivers surrounding Dhaka.
He made the call on Thursday (September 24) while addressing a programme titled “Pollution Control, Conservation and Management of Rivers Surrounding Dhaka”, organised by the European Union in Gulshan.
The minister said river management should be treated as an integral part of the capital’s environment, public health, biodiversity and economy.
“Keeping the rivers surrounding Dhaka free from pollution and encroachment is one of the government’s key priorities,” he said, referring to the Buriganga, Turag, Balu, Shitalakkhya and Dhaleshwari rivers.
He urged all relevant agencies to properly perform their responsibilities to prevent industrial effluents and solid waste from being dumped into rivers.
Anee said controlling river pollution could not be achieved by any single ministry or agency.
“The Water Resources Ministry, Environment Ministry, Shipping Ministry, local government bodies, city corporations, industries, Rajuk and other relevant institutions must work in coordination,” he said.
He also called on riverside communities, industrial establishments and civil society to play responsible roles in protecting the rivers.
The minister warned that disruption of natural river flows increases waterlogging, environmental imbalance and public suffering.
He said canals and water bodies connected to the rivers must also be conserved, while efforts should continue to restore connections between rivers and canals and maintain water flow through dredging and re-excavation where necessary.
The minister said the government had already undertaken programmes for the excavation and re-excavation of rivers, canals and water bodies across the country.
Mahbuba Rahman, director general of the All-Party Parliamentary Group Bangladesh; Asian Development Bank Country Director for Bangladesh Chingfeng Zhang; EU Minister Counsellor and Head of Development Cooperation Michal Krejza; French Ambassador Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet; and Dutch Ambassador Joris van Bommel, among others, spoke at the event.