Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has called on the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other development partners to support Bangladesh's efforts to restore its rivers, aiming to set a global example in sustainable water management.
Speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled "River Restoration: Lessons for Bangladesh", held at Pani Bhaban in Dhaka, she emphasized that even heavily polluted rivers can be revived into clean water sources, as demonstrated in other countries.
Highlighting the Buriganga River’s pollution crisis, she stressed the need for holistic river restoration rather than isolated projects, adding, "Chromium pollution from tanneries remains a major challenge."
Calling for immediate action over bureaucratic delays, she proposed a clear action plan backed by ADB while utilizing institutions such as the National River Protection Commission, the River Research Institute, and the Institute of Water Modelling. She also announced the formation of a task force committed to reclaiming and decontaminating at least one river with ADB's support.
She noted that the revised 1999 Water Policy and the Delta Plan will serve as a strategic framework for future projects. Additionally, the Water Resources Planning Organization (WRPO) has already developed an action plan for restoring river systems.
The Department of Environment has been directed to issue notices to industrial polluters, while the government is prepared to assist industries in implementing pollution control measures.
Rizwana also warned about the impact of plastic waste, noting that conventional dredging methods are ineffective in removing plastic from riverbeds. She urged the formation of a specialized working committee, led by the Ministry of Water Resources, to tackle these environmental challenges.
The seminar, chaired by Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, was attended by key stakeholders, including Mohammad Ejaz, newly appointed Administrator of Dhaka North City Corporation; Hoe Yun Jeong, ADB's Resident Representative in Bangladesh; and Nazmul Ahsan, Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources.
