Many shoals have appeared in different places in the Mathabhanga River, a transboundary river of Bangladesh and India. The river flows through the country’s Kushtia, Meherpur and Chuadanga districts.
Besides, indiscriminate grabbing and rampant dumping of waste in the Mathabhanga River are slowly killing it off. Apart from Mathabhanga, some 308 rivers have lost navigability in the country, according to media reports.
Among those rivers, 85 are in Dhaka division, 71 in Rangpur division, 18 in Rajshahi division, 11 in Chattagram division, 10 in Sylhet division, 26 in Mymensingh division and 87 in Khulna division. According to the information of the River Commission, the total number of rivers in Bangladesh is 1008.
According to the District Administration and Water Development Board, there are 931 flowing rivers in Bangladesh. The rivers are victims of pollution due to waste dumping and despite locals’ protests, garbage is still being thrown into the country’s rivers.
The government should take immediate measures to resume extensive drives to free the illegally grabbed rivers, canals and water bodies across the country. Earlier the government took several moves to free the country’s rivers and other water bodies from the grabbers.
However, the government’s various initiatives to oust the grabbers were either foiled or barred by the local influential on several occasions. And thus we have to face the consequences.
But, we believe that the country’s rivers and other water bodies will get back their life if the government takes a fresh move. If the grabbers whatever they might be either ‘godfathers’ or ‘dons’ are not spared, our rivers will be returned fully as well as they will get back their natural flow and navigability with clean rivers.
308 rivers have
lost navigability
in the country
There is no alternative to water for agriculture, transportation, fish production and urbanisation and industrialisation in Bangladesh which is a country of rivers. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina repeatedly made clear her “zero-tolerance policy” against rivers and water bodies grabbers. In this regard, we are calling upon the local administrations, lawmakers, and people from all walks of life to protect our rivers from grabbing and pollution as early as possible. The countrymen will be satisfied if the eviction drive by the ministry of water resources with support from the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, law-enforcement agencies and local administrations is launched immediately.
We think that the government must progress on the right track to make rivers free from illegal grabbers. Simultaneously, we also consider that the need for raising mass awareness to save rivers and water bodies from the grabbers is a must.
Apart from these, we all countrymen will have to change our mindset and need to find ways to protect rivers and canals at any cost as these are being filled up illegally, and people in those areas are forced to sell or leave their land by a vested group of real estate developers.
Keeping in mind that only improved water quality and natural flow only can protect our biodiversity and flora and fauna those are very important for human existence. Our countrymen can profit from better and more predictable water flow for our crops and fishing.
Country’s waterways are declining day by day. According to a study, around 19,000 out of 24,000 kilometres of waterways of the country have phased out due to grabbing of rivers and filling up of the rivers and canals after the independence of the country. At present there are only around 5,000 kilometres of waterways in the country. The government must do dredging and maintain navigability. Besides, the grabbers must be ousted and they must be dealt with severely.