The restoration work of old Buriganga channel near Kamrangirchar has not seen any significant progress in the last eight months. The Dhaka South City Corporation began the project in June, 2022 but the initial works are yet to be completed. The project includes demarcation activities, eviction drives, re-excavation and waste disposal. The old channel, which has lost its glory to pollution and encroachment, is located in the middle of Shahidnagar-Hazari bagh embankment (from the main Buriganga River) of Old Dhaka and Kamrangirchar. Various structures were built occupying the two sides of the area of about 7 kilometers.However, to give the old Buriganga back its glory, the DSCC took an initiative to reclaim the channel from encroachers in June last year. Almost a year has elapsed but the authorities are still working on the initial phase. Also read: Re-excavation of Buriganga old channel to start in February, says Taposh Talking to UNB, some DSCC officials said they are committed to recover the channel from illegal occupiers. The DSCC authorities have taken a project to restore the old channel of the Buriganga, also known as the capital’s lifeline, in three phases, costing almost Tk 22 crore, they said. They said the recovery of the channel will free Dhaka’s Hazaribagh, Lalbagh, Dhanmondi, and Kamrangirchar from waterlogging. The seven-kilometer-long channel will also make it easier for Dhaka residents to commute from Buriganga to the Turag River and the transportation of goods will be easy due to the reduction in cost. Read More: Sand lifting poses threats of river erosion in Faridpur According to the DSCC, walkways and separate cycle lanes will be built on both sides of the channel. During an election rally at Kamrangirchar on December 24, 2018, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina pledged to take steps to recover the old Buriganga channel from encroachers. She also instructed the mayor to take necessary measures to make it happen. After detailed planning, the DSCC took the project to free the channel from encroachers.According to the plan, a 14-km walkway and a cycle lane will be constructed on both sides of the channel. Bridges will be built to attract tourists in addition to the residents of the capital. As part of the first phase, which is already underway, the authorities are working to clear the channel of silt, debris, and garbage from the sluice gate at the end of the old Buriganga to Islambag. The excavation cost of 1200 meters has been estimated at Tk 6.41. Read More: 250 illegal structures evicted from Bakkhali River in Cox’s Bazar General Secretary of the Poribesh Bachao Andolan, Engineer Abdus Sobhan said,“The commitment (to restore the channel) is not enough. The old Buriganga channel should be excavated according to Cadastral Survey (CS) records.” He also called on the authorities to stop the supply of electricity, water, and gas to the factories and houses built by occupying and filling the old channel and take effective steps to stop encroachment and pollution. “We demand the establishment of permanent pillars by demarcating the boundaries of the old channel of Buriganga according to CS records,” he told UNB.Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh said the old Buriganga channel recovery project is ongoing despite the various obstacles posed by the encroachers. “There were many obstacles. Many cases have also been filed. Many case are pending with the High Court and are currently going ahead with the project.” He also said the authorities are committed to recovering the old Buriganga channel as per the project. Read More: Power generation at Kaptai plant drops severely as rivers dry Terming the restoration process expensive and difficult, the DSCC mayor said, “The old Buriganga channel has been narrowed down by encroachers and polluters from all sides over the past 50 years, and this is the first time we have undertaken any project to recover the old Buriganga. “And we have already been able to increase its width almost ten times, and our activities are ongoing,” he added. He said the plan to introduce modern facilities such as walkways, cycle lanes and bridge will attract tourists. “We are working to create a healthy and aesthetic environment here so that tourists can come and enjoy their time here,” Taposh said. According to the DSCC, the initial phase of the project was started with its own financing. The authorities have also hired consultants to support the project. Read More: Political parties must have river, water issues in manifestos: IFC Md Md. Rasel Sabrin, DSCC chief estate officer, told UNB that buildings and institutions that have been illegally constructed occupying the old Buriganga channel have already been identified by DhakaSouth City Corporation, Rajuk, National River Conservation Commission, the Public Works Department, BIWTA, the District Administration, and the Land Record and Survey Department. “The mayor has directed us to demolish the illegal extended part of those buildings identified,” he added.

River police have recovered the body of a former leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League’s (BCL) Jahangirnagar University (JU) unit from the Buriganga river in Jajira area of South Keraniganj, five days after he went missing. The body of Duranta Biplab, 51, son of late Abdul Mannan from Choto Ilashpur of Netrokona’s Purbadhala upazila, was fished out from the river on Saturday afternoon, said Shahab Uddin Kabir, Additional Superintendent of Police of Keraniganj circle. Read more: University student’s body found at home in Natore Biplab was the General Secretary of BCL’s JU unit and a member of Awami League’s (AL) sub-committee on Agriculture and Cooperatives, said police. According to the relatives of the deceased, Biplab went missing while going to Mohammadpur from Keraniganj to meet his mother on November 7 and police recovered the body. The last tracked location of Biplab’s mobile phone was in Muslimbagh area of Kamrangirchar, police added. Read more: Injury marks on head, body of Buet student Fardin: Doctor who conducted autopsy Biplab’s family members came to Narayanganj early Sunday and identified him from a photo. The body has been kept at the morgue of Narayanganj General Hospital for an autopsy. “We’ll consult his family members and take legal steps once the autopsy is done,” said Shahab Uddin Kabir.

Although there are directives from the country’s highest court to save rivers, authorities concerned have failed miserably to stop pollution and encroachment. Thus, rivers around Dhaka city are still being polluted.  In an interview with UNB, Dr Manjur Ahmed, chairman of National River Conservation Commission (NRCC), put a major share of the blame on Dhaka WASA. Dhaka WASA’s failure to construct enough sewerage lines has created a disastrous situation. Factories in and around Dhaka dispose of waste into the rivers surrounding the city. Combination of household and industrial wastes has turned rivers like Buriganga and Shitalakhya “ecologically dead”. Read:Buriganga Pollution: Contempt rule issued against Wasa MD “All the human waste produced in Dhaka city goes into the four rivers surrounding it. This happens due to Dhaka WASA’s failure to manage the waste. Excrement and rainwater go to the rivers through the same pipe. It was WASA’s duty to set up separate pipes for proper flow of the wastes. They didn’t do so, and as a result rivers are being polluted fast,” said Manjur. The NRCC chairman added that although much of the grabbed lands by the rivers have been recovered, pollution couldn’t be stopped as those responsible were not brought under the law. “At least four crore people live in and around Dhaka city but there isn’t a single river or waterbody where people can bathe. Population density, unmanageable development, withdrawal of water in the upstream and climate change are affecting the country’s rivers. As an organization working to conserve rivers, NRCC is acutely aware of these problems,” said Manjur. Read:Dhaka rivers get polluted, WASA moves to supply water from Meghna About NRCC, Manjur said that the role of his organization is to identify the problems and provide recommendations to the concerned authorities. “NRCC is a relatively new organization. Some recommendations made by us have already been implemented and others are pending with the authorities. So far, we’ve identified 57,000 illegal encroachers and evicted 14,000 of them through the help of the district administrations and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA),” said Manjur. On the demarcation of river boundaries, the NRCC chairman said that it’s a tough task. Read Tajul briefs JS on Wasa, city corporations' projects to serve capital “The boundaries of Buriganga, Turag and Balu rivers have already been demarcated. I hope that the rest of the rivers will also be demarcated gradually,” said Manjur. On the master plan that NRCC was preparing, Manjur said that it is yet to be completed. “The process of preparing the master plan was interrupted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I hope that we’ll be able to complete the master plan within a short time,” the NRCC chairman said. Read LGRD Minister directs WASA to fix water price in capital rationally During the interview, he informed UNB that his organization aims to put an end to pollution of the rivers surrounding Dhaka within March 17, 2023, which is the birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. “We’ll provide directives to all the government and private establishments in Dhaka and adjacent areas to stop polluting the rivers surrounding the city very soon. Legal steps will be taken if anyone breaches the rules and fails to comply with the directives,” Manjur said.

The body of a boatman was fished out of the Buriganga river at Bashpatti in Keraniganj early Wednesday, nearly four hours after he went missing, said police. The deceased was identified as Md Sohrab. Mamunur Rashid, officer-in-charge (OC) of Keraniganj Model police station, said Sohrab fell into the river when Monir Hossain, a passenger, hit him on his head with a piece of wood following an altercation around 9pm on Tuesday.   Later, divers of the Naval police fished out the body from the river around 12:30 am. Read:Missing BUET student’s body fished out of Padma After the incident, the locals thrashed Monir and handed him over to the police station, the OC added. Besides, about one hundred enraged boatmen besieged the police station with the body demanding justice. Police sent the body to the Mitford Hospital morgue for autopsy on Wednesday. A case was also filed at Keraniganj Model police station, said the OC.

On the occasion of the World Environment Day 2022, a unique campaign is going to take place on Sunday titled ‘Mass Bathing in Buriganga'. It will be organized by JCI Dhaka North, Waterkeepers Bangladesh, River and Delta Research Center-RDCR, and Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA). Also read: Re-excavation of Buriganga old channel to start in February, says Taposh The initiative aims to raise voices to make the water of Buriganga bathable, create a pollution-free environment, and stand by the Buriganga river and its people. On 5th June morning at Mohammadpur Basila Bridge, hundreds of people, including duty bearers, civil society organizations, researchers, academicians, youth leaders, celebrities, and media personnel, will attend the event. The Buriganga River is not only economically very important for Dhaka but also a lifeline to the city. As it connects many areas of the country, around 5.1 million people live along the Buriganga riverbank. Today, this river is afflicted by the noisome problem of pollution, organisers said. The chemical waste of mills and factories, household waste, medical waste, sewage, dead animals, plastics, and oil are some of Buriganga's pollutants. As a result, the river is becoming lifeless. Sharif Jamil, Coordinator of Waterkeepers Bangladesh and General Secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), said, “We all have to work together to save the river Buriganga considering the negative consequences on the environment and lives. Buriganga is losing its life. This is a lifeline to Dhaka. That’s why, to save Dhaka, we must save Buriganga.”. Also read: Wasa MD not implementing 2011 order on Buriganga pollution willingly: HC Mohammad Azaz, Chairman of River and Delta Research Centre, said, “Due to Buriganga’s pollution, the surrounding environment, marine life, and people are all suffering. Pollution has destroyed the entire ecological balance. It has a long-term impact. In this mass bathing event, we protest against this pollution.” Md. Sariful Islam, Coordinator of “Mass Bathing in Buriganga” and Vice President of JCI Dhaka North, said, “It is quintessential to protect Buriganga and its biodiversity to protect people’s lives, resources, and overall the Dhaka city. Through this unique event, we want to encourage all to save the river from pollution and to make it bathable.” Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), Green Savers, Catch Bangladesh, Connect360, Nongor, DhakaYouthClub, Nodi TV, Nodizatrik, Buriganga River Coalition, RiverBangla, GenLab, River Bangla and Shabujpata also partner with the event.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh on Wednesday said they are expecting that the re-excavation work of Buriganga Old Channel will begin from February. Taposh said this while talking to reporters after visiting the prospective site for the construction of a bridge in Loharpul area adjacent to Kamrangirchar dam. Taposh said, “We will establish a central commercial  zone at Kamrangirchar and we will have to construct two bridges to ensure communication facilities for the future activities. Today we are visiting with our experts, planners and our chief engineers to see where we can build the bridges.” Read: Wasa MD not implementing 2011 order on Buriganga pollution willingly: HC Some parts of the Buriganga Old Channel have already been freed from the occupiers. The DSCC and the Dhaka district administration will conduct a joint operation from the next week to free the remaining parts of the Buriganga Old Channel which is still under occupation, he said. Mayor Taposh said that these activities were being carried out under a master plan. “We are giving attention to everything under the master plan. Alongside the river re-excavation at Kamrangirchar, the construction of the bridges we will turn the dam road into a six-lane one,” It’s a very important and big road system plan that will become visible gradually, the mayor added.

A 10-year old student drowned in Buriganga river near Bosila bridge on Sunday while taking bath with friends, his father said. The body of Mohammad Sifat, madrasa student, was recovered by fire service drivers after an hour of search, his father Badrul Alam said. Also read: 3 female students drowns in Turag, another missing It was found at Basila-Uttarpara area where Buriganga joins with Turag river, said Rojina Akter, duty officer at Fire Service Headquarters control room. Also read: BRAC university student drowns in Cox’s Bazar

Police arrested the owner of ‘Mayur-2’ launch from his residence in city’s Sobhanbagh area early Thursday in connection with the launch capsize in the Buriganga River that claimed 34 lives on June 29.   Rezaul Karim Bhuiya, sub-inspector of Sadarghat River Police Station, said a team of police arrested Mosaddek, 55, from his residence around 3 am.   He will be produced before a court with seven-day remand prayer.

The man who was 'miraculously rescued' 13 hours after the tragic Buriganga launch capsize, has reportedly fled his hospital while receiving treatment after media reports and analysis triggered much debate over the incident.

Rescue operation resumed on Tuesday morning after recovery of 32 bodies following a launch capsize in the Buriganga River near Shyambazar on Monday.