Riverside elderly citizens of different northern districts at a function on Saturday called for saving all rivers which are the lifeline for the economy, environment, ecosystems and national heritage.
They made the call while narrating experiences on witnessing the process of extinction and encroachment of rivers in the function titled 'Listening to the Riverine People' held on the Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR) campus in Rangpur city.
The BRUR unit of the Riverine People Club organized the function in observance of the World Rivers Day- 2022 with the assistance of the Riverine People and Eco Social Development Organization, an NGO.
Convener of the Riverine People Club Chaomoon Patwari Supta presided over the event moderated by its Member-secretary Shihab Prodhan.
Students of the university attended the function that began with rendering of a river song written, composed and sung by Sanjay Chowdhury. Rabiul Islam and Mezbaur Rahman recited river-related poems.
Associate Professor of the Department of Accounting and Information Systems Umar Farooque of BRUR gave a welcome speech terming the present situation of rivers as miserable and many of the extinct rivers do not seem to be rivers at all.
Elderly citizens from riverside areas of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Kurigram and Dinajpur discussed their experiences on the process of extinction of rivers and its adverse impacts on the life, economy, environment and ecosystems.
Naya Miah hailing from the riverside area of the extinct river Moruadah in Sundarganj Upazila of Gaibandha highlighted the history and tradition of the river.
Noor Islam from the Deonai riverside area in Nilphamari recounted his experience of taking a brave role and struggles against encroachment of the river.
Nazir Hossain from Chakirpasha area in Rajarhat upazila of Kurigram highlighted the bitterness of fighting for half a century to protect the river Chakirpashar from illegal occupants.
Fisherman Tayjan from the same area said, "I had been earning livelihood by fishing in the river Chakirpashar all my life. Now, I can no longer go down to the river due to the threat of illegal encroachers."
Engineer Fazlul Haque, Coordinator of the Nilphamari District Riverine People Abdul Wadud, Convener of the Bhelamati River Protection Committee in Dinajpur Jinifa Iffat and Convener of the Chakirpashar River Protection Committee in Kurigram Khandaker Arif spoke.
In his concluding speech, Director of the Riverine People and Professor of the Department of Bengali of BRUR Dr Tuhin Wadud stressed on saving all rivers and ensuring uninterrupted water flow to improve environment and national economy.
