Green activists for executive power

Green activists yesterday suggested inclusion of executive power provision for river commission in the proposed National River Protection Commission Act, 2013 to remove illegal structures on rivers.
They said the act did not have any specific provision empowering the proposed body to remove illegal structures from river banks.
The cabinet approved the act on January 7 this year after the High Court order of July 19, 2009 .
Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa) at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) also said out of the country's 230 rivers, 25 have died out, 17 are under threat, and eight are near-dead.
Citing instances of some commissions of the country which could not work properly in want of executive power, Bapa Vice President Prof Nazrul Islam said a name only commission without executive power could not protect rivers. ''A powerful independent commission can eliminate irregularities and corruption and thus save rivers," he said.
Coordinator of National River Protection Movement Abdul Motin pointed out eight recommendations to make the commission effective and powerful.
Some of those are adoption of a modern river policy, re-evaluation of the existing acts dealing with rivers, inclusion of at least three experts in the selection committee who will form the commission, and inclusion of a provision regarding bringing back navigability.