Adviser to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Syeda Rizwana Hasan, as said that many initiatives are being undertaken to protect Bangladesh’s rivers, haors, canals.
She said, “The budget of the River Research Institute has been increased for research, along with four new responsibilities, which include accounting of transboundary rivers and assessing the environmental impact of sand and stone extraction.”
She shared this information on Saturday at the Mark Angelo River Award ceremony, organised at the Water Building Auditorium in Dhaka on the occasion of World Rivers Day 2025.
She said, “For the first time, we have finalised protection orders for Tanguar Haor and Dhaka haor.”
“Earlier, there was no definite information on how many rivers exist in the country. Now a list has been prepared with the participation of the government and local river activists,” she added.
At the same time, a list of canals, maps of Belai Beel and Arial Beel, and the Chalan Beel project have been initiated. With the support of the World Bank, a long-term plan is underway to restore four rivers, and research and feasibility studies are also being carried out on the Buriganga, she further said.
Regarding the rivers of Dhaka, the adviser said, “Only dredging will not work; unless dumping of waste and industrial pollution are stopped, the work will not be sustainable.”
On Saint Martin’s Island, she said, “Saint Martin’s belongs to all of us. If it is handed over to hotel businesses, the island will be destroyed, so tourism control is urgent.”
Emphasizing unity in the environmental movement, she added, “The environmental movement is not for personal gain; it must be done selflessly in the national interest.”
Muhammad Monir Hossain, Chairman of Bangladesh River Foundation, said, for many years there has been confusion over the number of rivers in the country. Some said 405, some said 234, while others claimed there were 7,000. Finally, through the joint efforts of all concerned departments, it was confirmed in April 2025 that there are currently 1,415 rivers in Bangladesh.”
Also present at the event were Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Mohammad Ejaz, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority Chairman Commodore Arif Ahmed Mostafa, and Bangladesh Water Development Board Director General Md Enayet Ullah, among others.
