Once a vibrant waterway, the Bhairab River in Jashore is now on the brink of death due to severe pollution and illegal encroachment. Despite repeated warnings, fines, and lawsuits, the pollution continues unabated. According to a report by the Department of Environment (DoE), 24 institutions are directly responsible for polluting the river but insufficient legal or regulatory actions have been taken against them, sparking outrage among the public.
Of the 24 identified polluters, only five institutions have faced legal action. The remaining entities have received either notices or minimal fines, a response citizens deem inadequate in the face of escalating environmental damage.
An investigation revealed that within the Jashore municipal area, the following institutions are directly contributing to river pollution: Queens Hospital, Asim Diagnostic Center, Kings Hospital, Popular Diagnostic Center, Labzone Diagnostic Center, Padma Nursing Home, Orthopedic Hospital, Unique Hospital, Orion Hotel International, Bhairab Hotel and Restaurant, Daratana Hospital, Ekota Hospital, Modern Hospital, Renesa Hospital, Prince Diagnostic Center, Ultravision Diagnostic Center, Scan Hospital, and Desh Clinic.
Among the institutions outside the municipal core, located in Barinagar and Noapara, SK Auto Rice Mill, Foysal Gelatin, Pulse Diagnostic Center, and Jarban Fibers Ltd have been named. Pulse Diagnostic Center was fined BDT 20,000 and Arogya Sadan Hospital BDT 10,000 in separate enforcement drives.
Speaking to Times of Bangladesh, DoE Jashore Deputy Director Emdadul Haque said tests conducted on river water near Daratana and Barandipara Bridge points revealed alarming levels of pollution. Dissolved oxygen (DO) levels were found to be as low as 3.81 mg/L and 4.69 mg/L, respectively, below the safe threshold of 5 mg/L. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) levels stood at 9 and 10 mg/L, well above the standard maximum of 6.
“These oxygen-deficient conditions cannot support aquatic life,” Haque said, adding that local residents face serious health risks due to high levels of microplastics in the water, which are invisible to the naked eye but can cause cancer and other diseases upon entering the human body.
Despite these findings, enforcement has remained weak. Some institutions have received directives to install Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs), but there is little follow-up to ensure implementation or functionality.
Zillur Rahman Bhitu, member secretary of the Municipal Citizens’ Awareness Committee, said: “Fines and lawsuits against one or two institutions won’t solve the problem. Authorities must act decisively against all identified polluters. Until the current game of cat and mouse ends, real progress will remain elusive.”
“Saving the Bhairab means saving Jashore,” he added. “Restoration requires coordinated efforts from district administration, the Water Development Board, the Department of Environment, and all concerned stakeholders.”
Iqbal Kabir Zahid, advisor to the Bhairab River Restoration Movement, pointed out that millions of taka have been allocated over the years for river restoration, but most projects have yielded little result. He alleged widespread corruption and poor implementation such as incomplete dredging, dumping excavated soil along the riverbank, and constructing unplanned embankments.
“Bhairab is not just a stream of water. It’s part of Jashore’s history, culture, and economy,” Zahid emphasized. “If effective measures aren’t taken immediately, this river could vanish entirely in the near future.”
He called for united efforts from the DoE, local administration, government bodies, and the public to revive the river. “Only through collective will and action can we restore Bhairab’s lost glory and bring back its life-giving flow,” he said.