Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee today (24 September) stressed the need for coordinated and long-term measures to protect the rivers surrounding Dhaka, control pollution, restore navigability and ensure their natural flow.
He said river management must be treated as an integral part of protecting the capital’s environment, public health, biodiversity and economy.
The minister made the remarks at an 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, said a PID handout.
Anee said keeping the Buriganga, Turag, Balu, Shitalakkhya and Dhaleshwari rivers free from pollution and encroachment is one of the government’s key priorities.
All relevant agencies must properly discharge their responsibilities to stop the dumping of industrial effluents, sewage and solid waste into the rivers, he said.
The minister said controlling river pollution cannot be achieved by any single ministry or agency.
The Water Resources Ministry, Environment Ministry, Shipping Ministry, local government authorities, city corporations, Industries Ministr, RAJUK and other relevant agencies must work in coordination, he said.
At the same time, people living along the rivers, industrial establishments and civil society must also play a responsible role in protecting the waterways, he added.
Anee said obstruction of the natural flow of rivers increases waterlogging, environmental imbalance 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 for the excavation and re-excavation of 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, ambassadors of France and the Netherlands, among others, spoke at the event.
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