THE River Bhairab that flows through Kachua in Bagerhat faces an existential threat. It has happened over the years because of encroachment, which is widespread, and the discharge of municipal and wet market wastes and untreated sewage, which continues unchecked, directly into the river. The river has become a source of stench for all the time. This has contaminated the river water, making it unfit for use and adding to public health concern. Shops and houses, both temporary and permanent, have been built on the riverland. This has narrowed the channel and severely obstructed the natural flow of water. The river that was vibrant and played an important role in waterway transport now lies degraded. The situation has caused concern among local people and green activists who have often demanded sustained administrative action to save the river. The administration episodically holds eviction drives, but the situation gets back to square one soon after the drives are over. Whilst people raise their voice, citing likely ecological damage to the region, the administration calls for coordination with the Water Development Board and other relevant agencies, the demarcation of the river boundary and the creation of awareness of the issues. And the administration has threatened legal action.
What has happened centring on the river in Bagerhat is nothing but a reflection of what has happened centring on the rivers in Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi and Khulna over the years, mainly riding on the inaction of the government and the public agencies that it employs to look after the issue. The same string of events happened first in Dhaka, involving the four rivers — the Buriganga, the Shitalakhya, the Turag and the Balu that flow around metropolitan Dhaka: an unchecked discharge of wastes into the rivers, encroachment, eviction and reclamation drives, people voicing their concern, official announcement of legal action and everything sinking into the doldrums. The same pattern was noticed concerning rivers in Chattogram, Rajshahi and Khulna. This is like the slow death of rivers, gradually reaching cities outlying Dhaka. The same story will emerge with rivers in towns and, then, in villages. This happens as the government remains unwilling to head off encroachment on and pollution of the rivers. And whenever the issues come up in discussion, the administration, the government for that matter, talks about punitive measures against the offenders. But why has the administration allowed offenders to begin encroachment on and the pollution of rivers when still there was time to make amends?
And why does the government, after all this has happened, remain weak in taking steps to save rivers? It is time that the government showed the will and acted in earnest. Saving rivers is a shared responsibility, but it begins with the government.
