Prime Minister Tareque Rahman has called on everyone to play a responsible role, from their own positions, in leaving behind pollution-free rivers and a livable environment for future generations.
He made the call Sunday at a review meeting at the Secretariat on controlling pollution in the rivers surrounding the capital, Dhaka, along with waste removal, conservation and management, ensuring navigability, and developing the circular waterway, among other related matters.
The prime minister’s press wing confirmed the information, saying the meeting reviewed pollution control, waste removal, ensuring navigability and normal water flow in the Buriganga, Turag, Dhaleshwari, Balu and Shitalakshya rivers and adjoining canals and drains, along with the overall status of development activities related to the existing circular waterway around Dhaka.
The prime minister directed effective steps to quickly implement the plans adopted so far, and placed special emphasis on ensuring proper coordination among the relevant ministries, divisions and agencies to move the initiatives forward.
The prime minister said efforts must be made to leave behind pollution-free rivers and a livable environment, for ourselves as well as for the next generation. He said this cannot depend on government directives alone — it must also be pursued from a sense of personal responsibility.
The meeting was attended by Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo, Industries and Commerce Minister Khondaker Abdul Muktadir, Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Shipping Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives State Minister Mir Shahe Alam, Planning State Minister Zonayed Saki, Shipping State Minister Rajib Ahsan, Environment, Forest and Climate Change State Minister Sheikh Faridul Islam, the prime minister’s special assistant Dr. Saimum Parvez, Principal Secretary A.B.M. Abdus Sattar, Bangladesh Navy Commander of the Dhaka Naval Area Rear Admiral Abdullah-Al-Maksud, along with secretaries of relevant ministries and divisions, administrators of Dhaka, Narayanganj and Gazipur city corporations, and other senior officials concerned.