Speakers at a discussion on Monday said that 21 out of the 45 major rivers in Rajshahi division were endangered due to encroachment and pollution.
They made the remark at the discussion in Rajshahi organised by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers鈥� Association to mark the World Rivers Day.
River researcher Mahbub Siddique said that these rivers would face a crisis of existence if they were not conserved soon.
鈥榃astages are being dumped in these rivers, and various establishments, including brick kilns, have been built on the river banks. Sluice-gates and rubber dams have pushed these rivers to death,鈥� he said.
He also pointed out that construction of rubber dams in the rivers was the last nail in killing the rivers.
鈥楾he Water Development Board is killing rivers. No obstacle can be created in the normal flow of the river. When these rubber dams are built, both upstream and downstream sides of the river are affected,鈥� he added.
The meeting recommends freeing the rivers from encroachment and pollution, preparing and publishing a list of encroachers and taking legal action against them, ensuring the natural flow of river water by removing all the infrastructures built obstructing the flow of the river.
Besides replacing all small and low bridges or culverts with big and high bridges, undertaking projects for river conservation with taking the local culture and tradition into account, and introducing river health card have also recommended at the meeting.
Meanwhile, people from all walks of life on Monday urged the government to implement the proposed surface water-based North Rajshahi Irrigation Project immediately to protect the region from desertification.
Over two hundreds of them under the banner of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan formed a human chain at Saheb Bazar Zero Point area in the district to press home their demand.
Addressing the human chain, the speakers said that the country鈥檚 rivers were facing a multifaceted crisis due to ongoing encroachment and pollution.
鈥楳any rivers, including the Padma flowing through the Rajshahi region are now in a critical condition. It is true that several projects were taken to protect the rivers. But, all of the projects have turned in vain due to ill-planning, corruption, and lack of transparency and accountability,鈥� said the BAPA Rajshahi district unit president Md Jamat Khan.
He also said that influential people had occupied the 17 kilometres of the Padma鈥檚 embankment and built various illegal establishments, including brick kilns, homesteads and garden houses.
鈥業t was the failure of the water development board that they could not free the embankment,鈥� he mentioned, adding that they strongly urged the government to free the embankment from encroachment, dredge the rivers to bring their navigability back, and implement the proposed surface water-based North Rajshahi Irrigation Project immediately.
Mentioning that the tenure of the Ganga Water Sharing Treaty will expire in 2026, Zamat Khan, also general secretary of Rajshahi Raksha Sangram Parishad, said that they did not know what steps were taken to renew the Ganges water sharing deal with India.
鈥業f there is no water here, all the rivers will die. Without water, the region would become a desert. What is the point of development if there is no water?鈥� he added.
Rajshahi Government Survey institute retired principal Mahmud Hossain said that the river water crisis in the country would never be solved if Bangladesh鈥檚 rightful rights in the trans boundary rivers were not ensured.
