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Editorial

Save Buriganga from pollution and grabbing

Devise a sustained cleaning operation to save the river from extinction


Bangladeshpost
Published : 19 Mar 2021 08:22 PM | Updated : 20 Mar 2021 12:29 AM

Environmentalists have long been crying hoarse for devising intervention on the part of the government to save the river Buriganga. The mighty river Buriganga, once addressed as the lifeline of Dhaka, is now on the verge of extinction due to unabated grabbing, rampant dumping of waste and pollution. 

Therefore, it is good to note that the High Court (HC) on Thursday ordered the authorities concerned to evict 74 illegal structures from Buriganga Adi (original) Channel (Hazaribagh and Kamrangirchareas) within the next three months.

The water of Buriganga is now polluted to such an extent that all fishes have died and rowing across the river is now difficult because of its bad odour. Encroachment and excessive amounts of pollution has caused the water of Buriganga to become unsustainable for aquatic life. 


Thames River is a glaring example of how 

a dead river can be saved by 

implementing actions fuelled 

by consciousness and concerted efforts


Thousands of illegal sewerage lines are emptying sewage into the river. On top of that, a huge amount of burnt petrol and human waste from river vessels is being spilled into the river every day.

Thames River is a glaring example of how a dead river can be saved by implementing actions fuelled by consciousness and concerted efforts. In 1957, The Natural History Museum declared the Thames River biologically dead. Now, Thames is one of the cleanest city rivers in the world. A concrete British consciousness and concerted efforts on the part of the London city administrators helped to revive the river. Hence, we still can be optimistic about giving Buriganga a new life.

  The first thing to do is to stop the continuous discharge of thousands of tons of industrial waste, garbage, and sewage. The government should formulate and implement necessary policies and develop legal and strategic framework based on a new and reinvigorated perception on the present condition of the Buriganga.