Originating from Dhaleshari, a tributary of Jamuna, Louhajang river flows through Tangail town and falls into Banshai. The river earlier served as an outlet to clear effluent. As it is clogged, the natural drainage system of the town has also been affected.

Only three decades ago, launches and big boats carrying merchandise used to anchor at the town. A road at College Para in the town was named 'Amghat' as mangoes from Rajshahi were unloaded there, an elderly citizen said while talking to this correspondent.

Besides, the river linked shoals in the western part with rest of the district.

The river started dying after the Water Development Board (WDB) constructed a sluice gate near the confluence of Louhajang and Dhaleshari rivers in 1992 under its Flood Action Plan (FAP)-20. Boat stopped plying the route since then as the river lost navigability.

In the following years, encroachment of its banks and shore areas increased.

This correspondent while visiting 10 kilometers of the river banks from Baimile in Dainna union in Tangail Sadar upazila to Kagmari area in Tangail town saw villagers occupying the river on both sides. They built houses, raised banana orchards and vegetable gardens on encroached banks.

Illegal concrete structures have been built in many areas including Kagmara, Dhulerchar, Stadium, West Akur Takur Para, Beradoma and Kagmari in the town.

Sewage and garbage released from homesteads in the town are polluting the river.

Earlier, Tangail municipality chairman Jamilur Rahman Miron (now in jail), said that he raised the issue at several law and order committee meetings but to no result due to influence by vested quarters having political clout.

A member of district law and order committee seeking anonymity said the Assistant Commissioner of Land in Tangail Sadar upazila has been directed to identify the land grabbers.

The grabbed lands along the river will be recovered after the AC (Land) gives a report, he said.

When contacted, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Syed Aminur Rahman said, "We are preparing a list of land grabbers, which will be submitted to the law and order committee as soon as possible".

The Bairan, a Jamuna tributary, originates from Dubail in Sarishabari upazila in Jamalpur district, flows through Gopalpur municipal area and Bhuapur and falls into the Louhajang river.

As the river is dying due to encroachment, Gopalpur upazila headquarters, once a flourishing trade center, is also losing its importance, local people and traders said.

Influential people, most of whom big traders, are building houses and business offices by grabbing lands on both sides of the river. Garbage dumped by people is also silting it up.

Somnath Lahiri, an official of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) in Tangail, said land grabbers are also defying the River Reservation Act.

When contacted, Tangail Deputy Commissioner Akhtar Ali Sarkar said

steps will be taken soon to recover the grabbed lands of Louhajang and Bairan rivers.