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Stress on awareness to save rivers from grabbers


Bangladeshpost
Published : 09 Nov 2019 10:09 PM | Updated : 06 Sep 2020 03:30 AM

Viewing rivers as lifeline of socio-economic activities and environmental protection, speakers at a discussion on Saturday underscored the need for creating mass awareness to save the rivers from the grabbers as well as protect arable land, especially those of aboriginals from unplanned urbanization. 

They were speaking at the consultation meeting titled ‘Land Grabbing: Current Social Movement for Resistance” organized by INCIDIN Bangladesh at its office at Mohammadpur in Dhaka.  The programme was supported by South Asian Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE).

A. K. M. Mustaque Ali, Executive Director, INCIDIN Bangladesh spoke as the key discussant. Among others, Mihir Biswas, Founding Member Secretary, Buriganga Bachao Andolon, Joint General Secretary, BAPA, Rajkumar Shao, Executive Director, Bangladesh Adibashi Forum and Jatiya Adibashi Parishad, Lucky Akter, Organizing Secretary, Bangladesh Krishok Samitee,  Shahnaj Sumi, Deputy Director, SAAPE and Mushfiqur Rahman, Treasurer, KHANI spoke at the discussion.

Shahnaj Sumi said, a movement is being conducted in the countries in the South Asian region to resolve problems that minority people suffer. Minority people, especially the aboriginals in the plain face discrimination and land of those are being grabbed.

Meher Biswas said, there was 24,000 kilometers of river in 1972, which now has been reduced to below 5,000 kilometers. Besides, there is severe pollution in the rivers due to negligence of various stakeholders.

Bureaucrats, politicians and businesspeople are responsible for river encroachment and also a nexus of these groups. An effective research is needed to find actual picture of the condition of rivers, he added.

Sometimes, rivers are grabbed by government agencies for implementing development projects, Biswas said adding that “If you (government) grab rivers how can environment be saved. The government’s responsibility is to recover even a single inch of land, but not to grab rivers in the name of development.” 

“We must change our mindset. We need to find ways to protect rivers. Not to build roads by filling rivers, rather saving rivers,” he said adding “We can make zone-based plans for developing rivers.”

Rajkumar Shao said aboriginals do not grab but create arable land for farming. They prepare land for their livelihood. 

“Vested business groups are making aboriginals landless by grabbing their lands. They are depriving aboriginals through various means like terming them with various names,” he said adding: “How we should be named cannot be determined by any group. There are 30 lakh aboriginals in Bangladesh at present,” he said. 

He went on saying if the government is sincere about the rights of aboriginals, then the trends of grabbing lands of aboriginals could be checked. Aboriginals should not be identified with religion, as multi-religious people are aboriginals. 

Lucky Akter said, rivers and cannels around Dhaka are filled illegally and people in those areas are forced to sell or leave their land by a vested group of house building developers. Land grabbers exercise power with the help of administration alluring them by making payments.