Speakers at a meeting yesterday urged the government to take initiative to save Halda river and declare it as the national river.

The Committee for Saving Halda River organised the meeting at Chittagong Press Club, where Halda researcher Manzoorul Kibria, its president and an associate professor of zoology of Chittagong University, presented a keynote.

He said carps did not release eggs in the river for the first time this year, which is alarming.

Unplanned urbanisation, using dredgers to excavate river soil, cultivating tobacco on its banks, establishment of rubber dam and sluice gate in the upstream and high dose of insecticide in cultivation affect and pollute the river, he said.

Halda is only river where the carps release eggs, he said, adding, the river generates over Tk 800 crore a year from its fish.

He said Halda is the lifeline of Chittagong city and supplies water to around 65 lakh dwellers everyday.

The committee accorded a reception to Mesbah Uddin, deputy commissioner of Chittagong, and journalist Mohammad Ali for their contribution to saving the river.

Dr Iftekher Uddin Chowdhury, CU vice-chancellor and Prof Sikander Khan, VC of Chittagong's East Delta University, were present.