They said the rivers including Buriganga, Shitalakkha, Turag and Balu are being encroached rapidly by a section of unscrupulous people posing a threat to environment and ecology, but effective initiatives are not being taken by the concerned authorities.

The immediate past government took some "illegal establishments eviction drives" but they were abruptly stopped for mysterious reasons, they lamented.

They made the comments at a citizens rally organised by Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa), an environmental organisation, at Shahbagh intersection in the city demanding eviction of illegal establishments from the city rivers, reduction of water pollution and restoration of navigability.

Representatives from different pro-environmental organisations, Bela, Green Voice, Coalition for the Urban Poor, Sheba, Nagorik Uddog, Sundar Jibon, Sylhet Division Development Movement Council, Old Dhaka Environment Development Forum and BMS Sangstha, joined the rally to express solidarity with the demands.

Speakers said the past government approved a recommendation of a taskforce to restore navigability of Buriganga river and maintain its flow, but implementation of the recommendation has gone to ice storage.

The taskforce recommended eviction of illegal establishments from Buriganga banks, environment preservation, dredging and some other essential steps.

Joint Secretary of Bapa Mihir Biswas said in spite of regular demonstrations of environmental organisations to save rivers, most of their demands have not been implemented yet.

Referring to previous caretaker government's bid to save Buriganga, Mihir said this CG should also take immediate initiatives to evict illegal establishments from the rivers' banks.

Their five-point demand of Bapa include implementation of recommendation of the taskforce and Wetland Protection Act 2000, hoisting border pliers on the both banks of city rivers or embankments and recovery of city canals.

Executive Member of Bapa Engineer Kazi Md Shish, Sirajul Islam Mollah, Dr Abdul Hye Mojumdar, Prof Dr Mahbubur Rahman, Advocate Abed Reza and Tushar Rahman also addressed on the occasion.