The environmentalists in Pekua Upazila of Cox’s Bazar said most of the rivers of the country have been occupied by the influential people. The students and people have to come forward to prevent the river grabbing and pollution. The environmentalists urged the people to take effective measures to recover the occupied rivers.
The environmentalists presented these demands while a naval rally human chain was formed and a symbolic cleanliness programme was held at the bank of Bhola canal in Pekua upazila of Cox’s Bazar on Sunday on the occasion of World River Day-2024. The programme was arranged by environment and climate affairs organization Dhoritri Rokkhay Amra (Dhora) and international environmentalist organization Waterkeepers Bangladesh Pekua upazila unit.
The programme was held at 10:00am on Sunday. Prominent social worker Bahadur Chowdhury presided over the human chain programme.
Pekua upazila coordinator Delwar Hossain presented the keynote of World River Day at the programme. Youth Action Bangladesh Chattogram unit Chairman Journalist Muslim Azad, Pekua upazila Marine Fisheries Officer Md Oliur Rahman, environmentalist Jalal Uddin, Upokuliyo Mukto Rover Scout Group team leader Sadekur Rahman, student coordinator representative Jihadul Islam Jihad, representative of volunteer organization Mizbah Uddin, scout representatives Mohammad Rajib, Abdul Karim, Raihan Jannat Toha, Saima Kobratul Jannat Tania and others spoke at the programme.
During the programme, Youth Action Chattogram unit Chairman Muslim Azad said the rivers have to be protected from the land grabbers and occupiers. The rivers have to be kept free from garbage and poisonous chemicals. He demanded immediate effective measures to recover the occupied rivers of the country.
Student coordinator representative Jihadul Islam Jihad said we read in books from our childhood that Bangladesh is a country of rivers. We have to love the rivers the way we love the motherland. Rivers are directly connected with the beginning and gradual development of human civilization. The oldest and largest civilizations of the world emerged centering the rivers. Around 700 rivers flow in Bangladesh. Once rivers were the main routes for communication. The rivers are being used as the main source of irrigation for the agricultural work for a long time. These rivers played a crucial role in creating the fertile land of the country by supplying silt. They also played important role in maintaining groundwater level, which provides major assistance in household work, food production, agricultural work and industrial work. Many marine fishes come to the rivers to lay eggs and ensure the survival of their species.
He said the rivers which are so vital for us are being lost from the nature due to negligence and grabbing. It is causing adverse effects on the nature. We are polluting the rivers by filling them and dumping industrial wastes, ship oil and city wastes into them. An unbearable condition has been created due to lack of rain and rise of temperature. Various natural disasters, including flood, drought, tidal surge and excessive rain, are occurring fast which never happened in such a rapid way before.
The students and people of Pekua will protest against those who neglect and occupies our vital rivers, he said.
Journalist and environmentalist Jalal Uddin said the government collects Tk two and half crores in revenue from Pekua Bazaar each year. But they have not built any dumping station for waste disposal. As a result, all the wastes of the market are dumped into the Kahalkhali canal. The canal is being severely polluted due to that. The canal is on the brink of extinction due to pollution and grabbing. He urged the authorities concerned to return the canal in its previous condition by saving it from the grabbing of the influential people.
He said the polluters of environment, life and nature who occupy rivers and destroy hills must be brought to the purview of justice. He warned that if any waste of Pekua Bazaar is dumped into the Kahlkhali canal in the future, they will go for strong movement.
Rover and scout members of Upokuliyo Mukto Rover Scout Group, teachers and students of Pekua Public High School, Pekua High School and Pekua Ideal High School and others were present at that time.
