A project to control pollution in four rivers of Dhaka has been finalized with support from the World Bank, said Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, Climate Change and Water Resources. She added that the project is expected to be approved by December.
On Saturday (October 25), after inspecting the Shitalakshya River in Kapasia, Gazipur, she spoke at an event called “Rivers and Environmental Workers’ Gathering.”
Rizwana Hasan stated that various initiatives are being taken to prevent river pollution. Regular drives are underway to control the use of polythene, and emphasis is being placed on industrial waste and sewage management. She said, “Polluters will be addressed either individually or brought under the central ETP framework. We are doing as much as possible with four magistrates on the ground.”
The project will allocate a separate budget, manpower, and equipment for the Department of Environment, enabling enhanced monitoring of the rivers. She also emphasized that local community participation and cooperation from environmental activists are crucial for river protection.
Expressing concern over the Shitalakshya River, she said, “Due to industrial waste from Narayanganj and Gazipur, the river is severely polluted. This not only kills aquatic life but also severely disrupts the ecological balance of the surrounding environment.”
Rizwana Hasan highlighted the importance of cooperation with environmentalists, stating, “We will coordinate our efforts with their initiatives to protect the rivers.”
Special guests at the event included Naoka Martinez Bexstrom, Head of Climate and Environment, Swedish Embassy; Solaiman Haider, Director of the Department of Environment; Mohammad Mobashsherul Islam, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources; AKM Arif Uddin, Director, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority; Alamgir Kabir, General Secretary of BAPA; and Monir Hossain, Chairman of the Bangladesh River Foundation.