The government has formed a central cell to stop the encroachment and pollution of rivers around the capital, Dhaka, protect their natural navigability and reclaim rivers that have been encroached upon.
The formation of the cell was announced in a notification from the prime minister’s office last Tuesday.
The 37-member central cell will be convened by the prime minister’s principal secretary. Three subcommittees will operate under the cell. The notification defines the scope of work for both the central cell and the subcommittees.
Tuesday’s notification from the prime minister’s office said the cell will work to control pollution and reclaim the Buriganga, Turag, Shitalakkhya, Balu and Dhaleshwari rivers, as well as canals and drains, around Dhaka.
The ministers and state ministers of the ministries of environment, forest and climate change; local government, rural development and cooperatives; shipping; and planning have been made advisers to the central cell. The navy will serve as the cell’s coordinator.
Members of the 37-member cell include secretaries of various ministries and divisions; a navy representative of rear admiral rank; the inspector general of police; the director general of the coast guard; the chairman of the National River Conservation Commission; the director general of the Water Development Board; the director general of the Department of Environment; the chairman of RAJUK; the chairman of BIWTA; the divisional commissioner of Dhaka; the AIG of river police; the managing director of Dhaka WASA; the executive officers of Dhaka North, Dhaka South, Narayanganj and Gazipur city corporations; a representative of the attorney general; the district commissioners of Dhaka, Narayanganj and Gazipur; the presidents of the BGMEA, BKMEA, the tannery owners’ association and the dockyard association; and an NGO representative nominated by the Department of Environment.
Three subcommittees have been formed and assigned specific areas of work, covering control of pollution sources, waste removal, restoring river navigability, river reclamation and ensuring the natural flow of water.
According to the notification, Subcommittee 1 will handle controlling the sources of all waste, including industrial waste; Subcommittee 2 will handle removing waste from canals and drains, reclaiming rivers and keeping water flow unobstructed; and Subcommittee 3 will handle removing permanent waste accumulated on riverbeds and adopting long-term plans.
The central cell will review its progress each month and present it to the prime minister. The central cell will also review and coordinate ongoing projects related to pollution control, conservation and management of the Buriganga and other rivers around Dhaka.