The government is planning to restore five major rivers surrounding Dhaka with financial assistance from the World Bank, said Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan.
"If the talks succeed, work will begin soon,” she said while speaking at a seminar at North South University in the capital on Monday.
Rizwana said discussions are underway with the World Bank regarding the river restoration project.
“For now, efforts are being made to bring back navigability to the Dhaleshwari, Turag, Shitalakkhya and Balu rivers with World Bank funding. The Buriganga has not been included in the list due to some dredging complications,” the adviser added.
Citing Bangladesh as a 'failed nation' in terms of environmental potential, Rizwana said the country ranks 179th out of 180 nations in the Environmental Performance Index.
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“Most of Bangladesh’s rivers are biologically dead. Bringing them back to life is a huge challenge,” she said.
“It is a misconception that environmental protection is the responsibility of only one ministry. Everyone must work together in a planned way. The River Protection Commission alone cannot do anything,” Rizwana observed.
She also expressed frustration over the construction of the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar railway line.
“There was no need for this railway at all. It destroyed forests and disrupted elephant habitats. This project is nothing but a political agenda,” she alleged.
“Did anyone from Cox’s Bazar say they needed a railway? They managed transportation all these years without it. The line was built only to serve financial interests and reap political benefits by damaging the environment,” Rizwana said.
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Along with saving the rivers, the adviser also stressed the importance of restoring Dhaka’s canals. She urged future governments to give the highest priority to environmental protection.
The seminar was organised by the South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance. Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Mohammad Ejaz attended the event as a special guest, while North South University Associate Professor Abdus Samad delivered a keynote presentation on the current state of Dhaka’s major rivers.