500 mistakes in river commission’s book: speakers
A recently published book of the National River Conservation Commission contains at least 500 instances of wrong information, claimed environmental and river protection activists at a seminar yesterday.
They demanded the immediate withdrawal of this book titled "Bangladesher Nad-nadir Songa and Sangkha". They also demanded re-listing the names of 60,000 river encroachers removed from the commission's website.
Speakers made this demand at a seminar organised by Nongar Bangladesh Trust, an organisation on river protection and environmental affairs, at Jatiya Press Club.
179 of the 227 rivers of Sundarbans are listed in the book, while information on rivers in Khagrachhari, Rangamati, Cox's Bazar and Bandarban districts were not included.
Mahbub Siddiqui, vice president of Bangladesh Nadi Bachao Andolon, said some mistakes made in the book are significant, such as overlooking the fact that a part of the Padma in Bangladesh is also known as the Ganges.
Additionally, the book incorrectly identifies Ichhamati as a long river with a length of 463-km whereas the largest river in the country is actually Karatoa, measuring 463-km.
Besides, 27 encroached water bodies were incorrectly referred to as rivers, he said.
Siddiqui highlighted a major discrepancy in the book's river count, stating that it mentions 1,008 rivers, but research indicates over 2,000 rivers are in Bangladesh.
He said 179 of the 227 rivers of Sundarbans are listed in the book, while information on rivers in Khagrachhari, Rangamati, Cox's Bazar and Bandarban districts were not included.
Prof Anu Mohammad, the chief guest, highlighted three causes for rivers' decline: India's plan for uniform rivers, government's development projects without environmental consideration, and pollution and encroachment by private industries.
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