Demand by different citizens' organisations and environmentalists for long to save the river went in vain as the authorities turned a deaf ear to the issue.

Originating from Dhaleshari, a tributary of mighty Jamuna, the Louhajang river flows through Tangail town and falls into Banshai.

Launches and big boats carrying merchandise used to anchor at the town only three decades ago. Traders from northern districts would also come to the town Tangail using the river route. "Big boats with mangoes from Rajshahi anchored in the small town. A road at College Para was named 'Amghat' as mangoes 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' project. Boat stopped plying the route since then as the river lost navigability.

In the following years encroachment Added to this, land grabbing reduced the breadth of the river in the town and at many points. In fact land grabbing increased in the middle of 90s, which continued unabated, sources in the district land settlement office said.

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 by felling earth on both sides. They have also built houses, raised banana orchards and vegetable gardens on encroached lands.

Illegal concrete structures were seen on encroached banks in many areas including Kagmara, Dhulerchar, Stadium, West Akur Takur Para, Beradoma, and Kagmai in the town.

Effluents released into the river from homestead built illegally are also polluting its water. At least 980 homesteads in the town are releasing sewage into the river through pipes, according to a survey by Tangail unit of Paribesh Sushasan Committee.

While talking to this correspondent, a member of the committee said the environment is being polluted in the area due to release of human waste into the river.

"We requested the district administration and the municipal authorities to take steps against land grabbing and pollution of the river but to no effect", said its convener Mohsin Sikdar.

The indiscriminate land grabbing is also causing drainage problem in the town, including water-logging in many areas, he said.

Mohsin Sikdar claimed that the authorities did not take any step to evict the encroachers and recover the lands.

Advocate Zafar Ahmed, panel chairman of Tangail pourasabha, said Louhajang river is vital to save the environment in the town. As the outlets have been clogged, the drainage system has collapsed, he said.

"I raised the issue at a meeting but there was no result”, he added.

When contacted, Additional Deputy Commissioner (revenue) Mohammad Abdul Mannan, 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 after investigation", he said.

Haider Ali, A C (Land) in Tangail Sadar upazila, said work on identifying the grabbed lands will be started soon.

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

BELA will take legal steps if the authorities do not take steps to recover the grabbed lands, he said.