Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of BELA, told Prothom Alo that Buriganga and Turag cannot be saved by pillars installed on the basis of wrong demarcation. The boundary of these rivers should be fixed regardless of any influential person and by abiding by court orders and scientific data. Besides, the people who are making these rivers more vulnerable by wrong demarcation repeatedly and wasting government money by installing the pillars in wrong places, should be identified. Such errors will continue to be repeated if no action is taken in keeping with the laws.
A visit to Tamanna Park revealed that two new boundary posts have been installed behind the park. Such posts can be seen in most parts of Turag while going from the side of the park to Uttara through Diyabari area.
Abdur Rahman, a resident of Diyabari, told Prothom Alo that even a few years back, water used to flow by embankments during the rainy season and small boats and cargo trawlers still come here. But this part of Turag is disappearing rapidly as it was being steadily occupied.
The wetlands of this area are extended parts of Turag and Buriganga. According to the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Amendment Act 2010, filling such wetland and building any installations there is banned. But as a result the boundary pillars installed by BIWTA, excluding large parts of the rivers and wetlands, this area will be recognised common lands outside the river. As a result, the legal restrictions to fill them will be relaxed.
Mohammad Ajaz, head of the RDRC’s survey team, told Prothom Alo that the High Court had issued instructions to protect the rivers of the country. The government is also very keen on this. But if the rivers are demarcated one after the other in such a way, these can no longer be protected.
