Keeping Dhaka rivers free from pollution, encroachment one of govt’s key priorities: Minister Anee

Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee on Thursday called for coordinated and long-term measures to protect the rivers surrounding Dhaka, control pollution, restore navigability and preserve their natural flow.

He said effective river management was essential to protecting the capital’s environment, public health, biodiversity and economy.

The minister made the remarks at a high-level event titled “High Level Event on Bangladesh Rivers Pollution Control, Conservation and Management of the Rivers Surrounding Capital Dhaka”, organised by Team Europe Union at Aloki in Gulshan, according to a PID handout.

Anee said protecting the Buriganga, Turag, Balu, Shitalakkhya and Dhaleshwari rivers from pollution and encroachment was among the government’s key priorities.

All relevant agencies must properly discharge their responsibilities to prevent the dumping of industrial effluents, sewage and solid waste into the rivers, he said.

“River pollution cannot be controlled by any single ministry or agency,” Anee said, stressing the need for coordinated efforts by the Water Resources Ministry, Environment Ministry, Shipping Ministry, local government authorities, city corporations, Industries Ministry, RAJUK and other relevant agencies.

He also called on riverside communities, industrial establishments and civil society organisations to play a responsible role in protecting the waterways.

Anee said obstructing the natural flow of rivers contributes to waterlogging, environmental degradation and public suffering.

He stressed the need to protect canals and water bodies connected to the rivers, restore connectivity between rivers and canals, and continue dredging and re-excavation where necessary to maintain water flow.

The government has already undertaken programmes to excavate and re-excavate rivers, canals and water bodies across the country, he said.

The director general of the All-Party Parliamentary Group of Bangladesh Parliament, country director of the Asian Development Bank, minister counsellor and head of development cooperation of the European Union, and the ambassadors of France and the Netherlands, among others, spoke at the event.