Most of the country’s rivers have been encroached upon by influential people and numerous institutions, destroying the entire ecological balance and natural beauty. Unabated grabbing and filling of banks change the flow of rivers and cause severe floods during the monsoon, experts said.
Although concerned authorities conducted drives several times, river banks have been occupied again by grabbers due to lack of monitoring. Various individuals and institutions have illegally occupied the banks of 230 rivers and different canals and built various establishments, including settlements.
According to a report [four categories, 1,089 pages] of the most influential intelligence agency of the government, about 10,762 people and institutions have occupied about 230 rivers in 53 districts, while 118 people have been patronised by the grabbers. The report, along with six recommendations, has been submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office, Land and Navy's Secretariat. It also recommended constructing barbed wire fences to prevent river grabbing.
According to the report, the number of existing rivers in Bangladesh is 230. Of these, 57 are international rivers. At present, the flow of the rivers in Bangladesh is not as good as before. Grabbers, under the patronization of influential and political leaders, have built illegal establishments along both sides of the rivers and canals in various places, especially in urban areas. Even filling the river banks with sand and garbage, they also established markets and bazaars.
According to the report, width of rivers and canals has narrowed and depth has reduced due to illegal occupation and filling. As a result, water flow is being disrupted during monsoon, submerging houses and croplands. The report also states that some unscrupulous government officials from the local land office and the BIWTA were involved in the river grabbing.
“Our existence is associated with river-canal-wetland-Beel and its water. Whether our country will be suitable for living depends on whether we can solve the water problem,” said Eminent Educationalist Professor Serajul Islam Chowdhury at National Press Club on Thursday.
About the movement to protect the rivers, he said all the people especially patriotic people of the country have to come forward to protect the rivers, canals and wetlands, adding that patriotism among the capitalists and nationalists is gradually declining. Referring to the problems of the rivers of Bangladesh, Sirajul Islam Chowdhury said, “The problem of the rivers is not just our problem. This problem is not just the problem of India and Bangladesh. Rivers are international rivers. We must bring international public opinion to resolve our river problems with India.”
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said, “Strict action will be taken immediately on receiving information of river occupation. If the river survives, the country will live.” He also said, “Government has identified 49,162 illegal occupiers in 64 districts. We have formed a task force committee on the rivers; the committee is working to protect the rivers.”
In the report, a six-point recommendation has been made to conduct mobile court in order to rescue rivers from illegal occupiers.
Recommendations include—legal action against those who create obstacles to eviction drive, warning to the patronizer of grabbers by local administration, and even from the central tier of the government.
Besides, local land office, BIWTA and local administration have to monitor regularly after the eviction drive against the occupiers.
Apart from this, it also instructed to build barbed wire fences as well as to establish the pre-defined boundary poles along the river bank.
According to the report, most of the grabbers [2,160] have been found in Mymensingh district and Khulna is in the 2nd highest [1,229] position in terms of grabbers. Besides, 744 grabbers in three rivers at Chandpur, 192 in two rivers in Sylhet, 776 grabbers in a river at Dinajpur, 195 in seven rivers at Jamalpur, 373 in two rivers at Cumilla, 188 grabbers in eight rivers at Sunamganj and other grabbers and institutions have been identified in 53 districts of the country.