Encroachers cut Buriganga’s length by 16km

A 16-kilometre stretch of the Buriganga has been lost to encroachment by real estate developers and locals, according to a study released yesterday.

There is flowing water on just 25 kilometres of the river, says the study conducted by National Geographic Society, Drik Picture Library, and Riverine People.

The 16km part is not marked by demarcation pillars, and there are real estate projects, farms, homes and factories on the land that used to be the river.

With the use of modern technology, the researchers concluded that the actual length of the Buriganga is 41km, from the Dhaleshwari river in Hazratpur area to Jajira, where the river meets the Turag, said Sheikh Rokon, who led the team of researchers.

In 2005, Bangladesh Water Development Board mentioned in a book that the Buriganga is 45km long, but in 2011, the board reduced the length to 29km, said Rokon, secretary general of Riverine People.

The study titled Restoring Buriganga was released yesterday at the Drik Gallery.

"Influential people are able to fill up rivers due to the indifference of government agencies," Rokon said.

Dissolved oxygen levels in Buriganga water fall below 3 mg/litre in summer, below 2 mg/litre in autumn and spring, and below 1 mg/litre in winter, when the river becomes virtually lifeless, according to the study.

A minimum of 5 mg/litre of dissolved oxygen is required for aquatic life, says the study.

The researchers analysed satellite images from 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020 and found a significant decrease in vegetation along the river.

There has been a reduction in water bodies connected to the river. There are factories and business establishments in those areas now.

Out of the 1,092 boundary pillars, 718 are broken, and 114 are missing.

The government has eight projects worth TK 3,294 crore for restoration of the Buriganga, but no result is visible yet.

By comparing satellite images of the Buriganga from between 1990 and 2020, the study found a 37.67 percent increase in settlements on the river. The area occupied by residential and commercial buildings grew from 176.46 square kilometres in 1990 to 201.67 square kilometres in 2020.

Currently, there are 108 factories, 43 shipyards, 23 small factories, 22 industrial establishments, 19 warehouses and 17 brick kilns on the banks.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association, said, "The river restoration efforts of government agencies are expensive and ineffective."

Urging the government to take action against encroachers, she said , "If the rivers are handed over to land grabbers and encroachers, then we have to say that the development philosophy of the state needs to be changed."

Drik Managing Director Shahidul Alam said, "The responsibility of protecting the rivers is not that of one person alone; we all have something to do."

The study recommended identifying the Buriganga's length, width, and depth, evicting river grabbers, ensuring water flow, and stopping sources of pollution.