Buriganga riverbank eviction drive to begin monday
Photo: Agamir Somoy
Senior officials, including the chairman of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and an additional secretary to the government, have inspected the riverbank areas near Islambagh and Kamrangirchar along the Buriganga River to implement High Court directives. Initiatives have been taken to remove plastic and other waste from the riverbank and establish effective and sustainable measures to prevent waste from being dumped there again.
In an order issued on September 2 in connection with High Court Division Writ Petition No. 3676/2010, the court directed authorities to remove plastic and other waste from the Buriganga riverbank and take effective measures to prevent future waste dumping along the river. To implement the directives, the relevant officials conducted an on site inspection of the riverbank areas in Islambagh and Kamrangirchar on Saturday under the leadership of the BIWTA chairman.
During the inspection, officials collected firsthand information about the environment along the riverbank, the locations of plastic and other waste, and the reasons for waste accumulation. They also discussed with relevant officials what measures could be taken to prevent waste from being dumped into the river and along its banks in the future.
During the visit, the chairman instructed officials to properly implement the High Court directives and complete the necessary work within the stipulated timeframe. He placed particular emphasis on establishing permanent measures to prevent waste from being dumped again after the riverbank is cleaned.
Relevant officials said various plastic recycling factories and businesses established along both banks of the Old Buriganga Channel have been accused of encroaching on the riverbank and dumping plastic waste. The accumulated waste is filling up parts of the riverbank and polluting the river environment. Household waste from the Kamrangirchar and Lalbagh areas is also entering the Buriganga. As a result, various sections of the riverbank under BIWTA’s jurisdiction have been affected by encroachment and pollution.
Initiatives have been taken to conduct eviction drives in these areas in response to the High Court directives. Relevant sources said the eviction drive will begin on Monday.
BIWTA sources said necessary measures are being taken in coordination with the relevant government agencies to implement the court’s directives. In addition to cleaning the riverbank, authorities will introduce effective measures for regular monitoring, surveillance, public awareness campaigns and prevention of waste dumping.
The BIWTA chairman said the Buriganga River is not only an important part of Dhaka’s water transportation network and economic activities but is also closely connected to the capital’s environment and public life. He said all relevant agencies must work together to protect the river and its surrounding environment while implementing the court’s directives.
He further said removing waste alone is not enough to keep the river pollution free. Effective and permanent measures must be established to prevent waste from being dumped along the riverbank again. Cooperation from all relevant parties is necessary in this regard.
BIWTA said steps are being taken to complete waste removal and other necessary activities within the timeframe specified by the court. Measures are also being taken to prepare and submit an appropriate compliance report on the implementation of the directives.
Those present during the inspection included BIWTA Member (Finance) Captain Moazzem Hossain (Grade 2), Port Director Saiful Islam Prodhan, Chief Engineer (Civil) Saidur Rahman, Supervising Engineer Abu Zafar Mohammad Shahnewaz Kabir, Joint Director Mobarak Hossain Majumder, Department of Environment Director Mahbub Jamil, Lalbagh Assistant Commissioner (Land) Aminul Islam and Dhaka City Corporation Executive Engineer Ashraf Hossain, along with other relevant officials.
