The Department of Environment (DoE) has taken stringent measures to prevent pollution in the rivers surrounding Dhaka, including the Buriganga, Shitalakkhya, Turag, and Balu.
A total of 2,046 industrial factories in Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj and Narsingdi have been served final notices, instructing them to keep their Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) operational at all times.
As per the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995 (Amended 2010) and the Environment Conservation Rules, 2023, factories discharging liquid waste are legally required to operate ETPs and, in the case of sewage waste, Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs).
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But many factories either fail to install ETPs or do not run them continuously, discharging untreated waste into the rivers.
The notices were issued between 13 February and 22 February 2025, warning factory owners to ensure the uninterrupted operation of their ETPs and comply with environmental regulations.
Failure to adhere to these directives will result in strict legal actions, the DoE warnd.