Speakers at a discussion yesterday said national unity as well as political will is needed to save the country's rivers from dying.
Environment is getting endangered, as the rivers are becoming extinct due to frequent withdrawal of water from the rivers and decrease of navigability, they added.
Styled 'Save Rivers, Save Country,' the discussion was organised by Nodi Shashon Pani Sangskar O Babohar Sangram Parishad, a platform struggling to save rivers, at the Institute of Diploma Engineers Bangladesh (IDEB) to mark its 15th anniversary.
The speakers recommended developing proper diplomatic strategies to get the proper portion of water needed for the country from the rivers crossing Indian, Chinese and Nepalese borders.
Speaking as the chief guest, Awami League presidium member Amir Hossain Amu said Bangabandhu government could get 40,000 cusec of water from Padma by signing accord with the then Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi, but no successive government after that could do that until Sheikh Hasina signed another deal with India realising 30,000 cusec water.
It is high time to save our rivers, he said, adding initiatives should be taken immediately in this regard and political parties should also address the problem with high priority.
Presenting a keynote paper at the discussion, Member Secretary of the platform Mohammad Tarikuzzaman Reza said river problem is one of the main national problems and it should be resolved with proper political decision and a national unity is needed in this regard.
“The projects to save the rivers undertaken by any government should not be changed by any other governments and that should be ensured in the country,” he added.
Reza also suggested that navigability of the rivers should be brought back by carrying out proper dredging in the rivers and grabbers should be evicted from the rivers.
Former secretary Syed Marghub Morshed said Dhaka city can be made a more livable and environment-friendly if the waterways around the city would have more navigability and threats of floods would be less in the city.”
Chairman of Civil Engineering Department at Stamford University Prof Zahurul Islam, Prof Asaduzzaman Khan, Awami League leader Faiz Uddin Mia and engineers Dewan solaiman Ahmed and Sadar Uddin also spoke.