The Louhajang River flowing through Tangail town has got a new life after a clean-up drive in about one and a half kilometres of the river in the municipal area.
With the help of the district administration, the locals voluntarily removed the illegal structures from the town's Housing Bridge to Stadium area of the river, known as the lifeline of Tangail district town.
Soon after the clean-up drive, the district administration started making roads on both banks (1.5km on each side) of this part of the river and the work was implemented under the supervision of Tangail Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Hasan Bin Ali. Local environmental activists, including Noor Mohammad Khan Rajya and Ratan Siddiqui, are assisting in this work.
According to the administration and locals, illegal structures were removed from the banks of the river in the third phase. The dying river was surveyed in two rounds, first in 2016 and later in 2020 to remove structures on both banks of the river. Locals said that the administration of that time made some concessions in some cases due to humanitarian grounds.
Finally, the district administration started the recovery operation from March 1 this year. At the beginning of the campaign, the volunteers participated in the cleaning work of about one and a half kilometres of the river in the municipal area.
While visiting the spot, this correspondent has found that local people are using the walkway on both banks of the river. Many people are catching fish with nets and hooks from the river. Earlier the river smelled bad, but now there is no smell. There is relief among the locals.
Monir Hossain, a resident on a bank of the river, said that their recorded land has been lost in the latest river restoration. “Still, I can breathe a sigh of relief when I reach the river bank. We demand the entire river to be reformed like this area,” he said.
Pedestrian Roksana Begum said, earlier it was not possible to walk along the river bank. “Now you can sit and chat for a long time along with walking on the river bank. Boats are also running in the river, which is very beautiful.”
Environmentalist and cultural activist Noor Mohammad (Rajya) said that the Louhajang River, which runs through the district town, had become a wasteland. “A part of three kilometres of the river has been cleared of garbage and pollution. The river regained its youth. It is the need of the hour to save the entire river. This will bring back the life of the town to nature. It will protect the balance of the environment.”
He also said that despite the will of most people, every good work is hindered due to evil attempts by a very few people. Such thing is not desired by common people, he said.
Gautam Chandra Chand, divisional coordinator of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), said, 'We applaud the initiative of the administration to build roads on both sides of the river. Native trees should be planted on both sides of the river. In order to protect the natural environment and biodiversity, it is not right to drive along the river. The High Court has clear instructions in this regard.
He also said the sluice gates should be removed at the mouth of the Louhajang river and in Jugni area. He also demanded digging of the entire river.
Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Hasan-bin-Mohammed Ali said, “Our former Deputy Commissioner Mahbub Hossain had planned to construct a road with a beautiful panoramic view from the town's SP Park to Dighulia Bridge along with the eviction of illegal structures on both sides. He had advanced a lot. He laid out the entire road on the west side of the river. It was a bit difficult as the cost of land in the eastern part was high. Later, as the DC sir was transferred, the next DC took the initiative. But due to the coronavirus, no further work was done.”
He further said, “We have started working. I will do as much as possible. I believe that whoever comes later will also work.”
He said that the water development board initiative had moved closer to the approval of the implementation of the work. “Work is in progress on Mirzapur section. Excavation and river bank defence projects in Sadar area worth Tk 50 crore are awaiting approval. If this is implemented, the Louhajang river will get back a new look.”
Regarding the modernisation of the river, he said, if the source mouth of the Louhajang river can be excavated from the old Dhaleshwari, there will be water throughout the year. The administration has plans to develop the Louhajang river as a recreation centre or a structure like Dhaka’s Hatirjheel.
