Stop River Grabbing and Rescue the Environment

Shahriar Islam Shovon :

Rivers are valuable features of the natural landscape of Bangladesh and the river routes are the best ways for trade and business. Bangladesh has a tremendous scope to get benefits by using the route of the river. In this regard, we need to protect our rivers by following proper management. We get huge benefits from Protected rivers; it’s provided not only better economic stability but also preserving the natural environment including promoting healthy living with a quality full life. Protected rivers enhanced our local economy. Access to rivers inspires people for protecting nature and wildlife, controlling pollution, and ensuring clean drinking water for communities. Protecting and restoring rivers and riverside lands creates attractive opportunities for fishing, boating, hiking, and more, connecting communities to important places near their home.

According to the Constitution of Bangladesh Article 18(A) states that the state shall endeavor to protect and conserve rivers, wetland, and forests. Not only our constitution but also the Bangladesh Water Act 2013, the National River Protection Commission Act 2013, and the Environment Conservation Act, 1995 – have provisions for the protection of the environment, wildlife, nature, and controlling environmental pollution. For ensuring the standard quality of the environment and for protecting nature in 1997 the Government ensured the rules and regulations for environment conservation and promulgated the Environmental Quality Standard. However, various international conventions, treaties, and protocols Bangladesh have developed. In Bangladesh after the enactment of the Environment Court Act in 2000. An Environment Court Act was Passed in 2010 namely Environment Court Act, 2010 and it has been repealed in 2010. Environment Court Act, 2010 is aimed to establish one or more Environment Court/s in each district with a Joint District Judge and the function of the said judge to dispose of such cases that fall within the jurisdiction of an Environment Court. For seeking remedy people may able to go to court if they think that a river is being polluted. But it’s a matter of great sorrow Bangladesh has failed to protect its rivers due to a lack of effective initiatives.

In our global area River pollution has become a matter of great concern in recent times. Rivers are more necessary and play a vital role not only in our economy but also in our daily necessity. Unfortunately, it’s a matter of regret that most of the rivers of Bangladesh are on the verge of extinction. All is happening just because of the greedy land grabbers, they build up buildings along the bank of rivers which create hindrances in the normal flow of water. In this regard, the river water is polluted in many ways. Chemical fertilizers, insecticides, and pesticides are used in the fields and all are washed away by rain and floodwater to the water of the river. However, knowingly we polluted our river. In Mills and factories, people use many poisonous chemicals which are so much dangerous for the river. By throwing their used and unsold products into the river water and pollute it. Not only all steamers, launches but also engine boats pollute water by throwing oil, food waste, and human waste into the rivers. In the urban areas, the sewerage lines let into the river also pollute water by carrying wastes into the river water. Most of the time we need to test nuclear, dumping of nuclear wastes is causing serious river water pollution.

Most of the rivers in Bangladesh are in critical condition. The exact date is not available, but according to the data of environmentalists and journalists, it’s identified that most of the around 450 rivers in the country face serious threats mainly due to rampant grabbing and indiscriminate polluting by the industries. Recently the government has initiated actions for freeing rivers from encroachers. The learned High Court Division was also directed to evict some 2,106 structures built illegally on the river banks following some procedures in August 2016. Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) already took some steps, the law enforcers have already demolished illegal structures along the river Buriganga. Recently a landmark judgment has been announced by the High Court that the river encroachers cannot run in any elections or get bank loans and the High Court has ordered for saving rivers from greedy grabbers authority have to take initial steps. The High Court also instructed the government not only for making the list of grabbers in the country but also to publish the list in the media to expose them to the public.

The rivers of Bangladesh are the worse victim of pollution and it is well known. The rivers of Bangladesh which stand in the neighborhood of the big cities are being polluted tremendously but there is an effort to minimize pollution also. For example, Tongi Industrial Area has decided for establishing and operating a central effluent treatment plant (ETP) with their concerted effort with a view to tackling the Turag River pollution which is a great initiative for protecting the river. In the meantime, the government has taken a beautiful decision to shift the tannery industry from Hazaribagh to Savar. The water board designed Sluice gates on the Jamuna river near the Bangabandhu Jamuna Bridge was designed by the water board from where the waters would be diverted to the Buriganga river.

A River Protection Commission was already formed without giving it any authority to implement major decisions. In addition, the commission has already taken some better initiatives, but those initiatives have not been implemented yet. In this regard, the river protection commission needs to be made strong and should be strong monitoring over enforcement of laws to force industries to install ETPs All those need to operate regularly. Land grabbers are very influential because they have political clouts, muscle power, and nexus with the administration and they misuse their power for their own benefit. It’s definitely true that without a strong political will and enforcement of laws, it won’t be possible to stop river grabbing and recover the occupied lands.

Writer : Student, Department of Law & Human Rights , University of Asia Pacific.