The river Turag is getting drastically narrower near Ijtema Maidan in Tongi as land encroachers pile up sands indiscriminately on the riverbank, gradually extending their greedy hands towards its bed. Photo: Syed Zakir HossainEncroachment, after pollution, stands as the biggest threat to the life of our rivers. The reach and scope of the encroachers have made them seemingly invincible. Powerful, rich and ruthless, these encroachers have come to pull strings in government, pocket law enforcers and lean on land administration to produce ownership papers out of the blue. The legal system has been left helpless in its wake and left our rivers in peril.
Starting today, we offer a series on the most visible encroachments on the Turag and three other Dhaka rivers, with a plea to authorities to go and check grabbers' claims. We invite our readers to join the cause -- save our rivers.
The Turag flowing along northern vicinity the capital is virtually disappearing from the map thanks to indiscriminate encroachment on the river for years. If the trend continues further, the river would become history for the future generations.
After a break of two years, the encroachers are back to business with the new Awami League government assuming power in January. It seems now there are no authorities to bar these people from encroaching the rivers around the capital.
Although the AL pledged before the national elections to bring "changes in political culture and prevailing ill practices", no change is apparent in the culture of river grabbing.
Different vested quarters including influential locals, political leaders, housing estates, government officials, refuelling stations, private universities, sand traders and religious groups have grabbed the banks of the Turag over the years.
Once an affluent 100-metre-wide river has now turned into a narrow canal to only 30-40 feet in width in some places as grabbing still continues in full swing.
Originating from the old Brahmaputra river, the Turag, main tributary of the Buriganga on the northern side of the capital, has a length of 78 kilometres and 23 kilometres of it flows along the city.
The river is now being sacrificed to 'development' as both the banks have been grabbed for constructing buildings. Besides, its waters are contaminated by lethal effluent, making it one among many rivers in the country to face environmental devastation.
With huge encroachment on both of its banks, the Turag in Tongi, Kamarpara, Ashulia and Amin Bazar points looks so pathetic that anyone might surely think the river would die any time, if not dead already.
Not only the banks, the riverbed itself in the upstream near Ashulia and Birulia has also been grabbed by the encroachers, who have erected huge structures at various points.
The Conservation of Playing Field, Open Space, Garden and Natural Water Body Act, 2000 enacted by the previous AL government clearly prohibits filling up of water bodies and terms it a punishable act.
Unfortunately, the authorities seem reluctant to enforce the law.
At least nine fresh patches on the bank of Turag are now being filled up between the Tongi Bridge and Ashulia just within a couple of kilometres.
Bringing soil by sand-carrying large cargo boats, the encroachers are filling up the river thanks to the 'circular waterway project' of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).
The BIWTA authorities have spent Tk 36 crore to implement the first phase of the project to maintain navigability of the river which is in fact facilitating encroachment.
During a recent visit to the river, many 'ownership' notices were seen that read "owned by purchase". The notices were erected in places where the waters reach during high tide, very much within the river periphery.
In several notices the so-called owners have mentioned references of their land documents even from the surveys during the British and Pakistan rules, though all encroachments have occurred since independence in connivance with the land office.
The grabbers briefly went on back foot when the military-backed caretaker government came to power and cracked down on them. But they resumed grabbing since the end of 2008.
None of the government agencies including the BIWTA, Water Development Board and law-enforcement agencies now seems to be able to take any meaningful action against the encroachers.
Talking to The Daily Star, BIWTA Secretary Syed Monowar Hossain said: "Encroachment and eviction both are a continuous process. We have not stopped our eviction drives. Soon we'll evict them all".
"The good news is any concrete structures have not yet been erected in most of the places. We can remove all the soil from there if it fills any parts of the river," he added.
The BIWTA is the regulatory body to maintain the 110-kilometre river routes around the capital involving the Buriganga, Shitalaksha, Balu, Turag and Dhaleshwari rivers. The end of encroachment of these rivers largely depends on this body.
Thursday, May 21, 2009 08:52 AM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
I really appreciate the endeavor of The Daily Star in focusing river encroachment and pollution in order to highlight the problems for the Government's positive initiative.
Citizens of Dhaka is highly concerned about the dying rivers and water pollution for which city dweller are suffering.
I hope that The Daily Star will continue its effort to bring change.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 11:26 PM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
It is unfortunate to see greedy land grabbers destroying our rivers. This has been going on for many years - every government plays an ignorant role. We can write and re-write about this topic but greed and corruption in our motherland is the root cause - unless there are improvements in these areas we & our children will continue reading these type of articles.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 11:44 PM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
The ideal concept of river is no more it has been changed after seeing the picture , it is just a small canal and encroachers are the responsible to turn this river into dead stream . While we clamor for saving nature and at the same time we play some filthy game for self interest and financial gains. I am really surprised, while we have a government, we have law enforcing agency, and then how these unscrupulous people to have the courage to grab the public land or river bank and bed.
We do hope that the present democratic government would take stern action to recover the land immediately without delay to save nature and river stream and save the country from desertification , what has already been started .This only needs good intention and implementation of government decision.
Thursday, May 21, 2009 12:04 AM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
This happens during the time of any political govt. regime. Can Govt not stop this? I believe people will support the government regardless of any political opinion they have when it take initiative to rescue our rivers from the illegal occupations. Govt should show some courage.
Thursday, May 21, 2009 12:15 AM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
This is another ecological disaster waiting for Bangladesh. We need more public awareness and the authorities must step in with all force to stop this kind of encroachment of our rivers. As for the Public awareness: to begin with
Large 'POSTERS' saying 'SAVE OUR RIVERS' could be displayed.
Thursday, May 21, 2009 01:28 AM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
Once the only problem was 'river pollution' but now 'grabbing the rivers' is also an outsized setback for our nature and ecosystem. No doubt that this circumstances would result great misery on our environment. besides, the wicked grabbers get more audacity to carry on their vicious action. Defaulters are getting support and showing off thumb to citizen and law. With no delay, government should take prompt and legal action against so called 'owners of rivers'. Common people, as well as media, should hoist their voices against the grabbers.
Thursday, May 21, 2009 01:49 AM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
The encroachers are grabbing the river bed. What's happening to the water? Where has the water gone?
Thursday, May 21, 2009 02:17 AM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
Since sometime, we have been reading all the sad news and articles on this subject of river pollution. We urge the government to take immediately, two steps: 1) to take the initiatives to clean up and restore the four rivers with the help of the latest technology (India, China, France have cleaned up many of their rivers using these technologies); 2) to impose criminal law on the polluters. Incidentally, our expertise can provide the clean up and restoration services for all four rivers, if the Authority wishes to do so. If the Authority requests, we can submit a comprehensive proposal with the solutions.
Thursday, May 21, 2009 07:48 AM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
Nobody cares enough to save the rivers around Dhaka city however a time will come when the water they drink turns to poison only then will they wake up to what they have done and then it will be too late. This country has no hope and as for the Govt that's in power seems, after all this media coverage on this major problem they have shown little or no response to this issue.
Thursday, May 21, 2009 08:14 AM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
Rivers and the lakes in Gulshan-Banani and I'm sure other parts are being grabbed. the authority should be made to answer your questions and report progress, we did put them there after all, they are accountable to us. Please follow this up regularly.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 11:24 PM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
Encroachment in the rivers by any means must be stopped and the area of land already encroached have to be revived anyway. The picture really indicates the future of the Turag and the people need to move forwards for its restoration. Please save the environment and the life of the people.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 11:21 PM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
There will never be any changes in Bangladesh.I am so glad i don't live in that country anymore.
Thursday, May 21, 2009 09:01 AM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
We must stop the enchroachers. A section of people only blame India for the death of our water routes. We demand immediate action to put a halt on those who are creating this death route.
Thursday, May 21, 2009 09:50 AM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
The Proverb in Bangla 'Rokkoh-E-Bhokkok' applies for all the past governments including the present one. No one seems to be bothered about saving the rivers surrounding the Capital. If this is the people's government they should immediately start working on the navigation, width recovery along side making concrete embankments like the century old Buckland damn. The RCC embankment will also protect the river from loosing its width and will be permanent like we see in many European and North American countries.
Thursday, May 21, 2009 10:54 AM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
I do not think the current AL government, is at all interested or any of the members of Parliament,has any understanding of the terms conservation or environment, they are busy with evicting the former PM and activities like limitless talking.
Thursday, May 21, 2009 12:15 PM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
Really, bad luck for our nation. Day before yesterday. i crossed the river through Ashulia. The water of the river looks black with the pollution by ourselves, width of the river, day by day coming closer. Land grabbers don'y try to understand, what kind of misdeeds they are creating for the nation. All the rivers surrounding Dhaka are mostly dead. If we don't take the action against this right now, Mega city Dhaka will be die. We would like to see proper action on this issue by the authority who are responsible to look after this. Before that government needs to take the political decision. Because in most of the cases, land grabbers are taking the government party shelter. Thanks to the Daily star, to focus on the issue.
Thursday, May 21, 2009 12:26 PM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
Population and pollution both are threat for our life and for the new generation. No goverment didn't take
a proper plan for permanent solution. The country could have been saved from thousand crore Taka yearly if there is no corruption in our society.
No one knows how many years people have to wait to get rid from the nosediving.
Thursday, May 21, 2009 03:55 PM GMT+06:00 (233 weeks ago)
While the successive governments have come away with relatively light responsibility to stop river encroachment in particular, and not booking the river polluters, we must now admit that the last caretaker government has showed us that we can do something really if we really want to. We are feeling unfairly disadvantaged now. Mountain climbers will recognise the challenge. It's easier to strive to reach the summit than it is to find the right route there. We are learning this as we're now to address this problem. Kudos for the reporting, and it's time to act.