Encroachment, pollution and prolonged neglect have pushed at least 27 canals in Tangail town to the brink of extinction, raising concerns over environmental degradation and urban drainage collapse.
The canals were once connected to the Louhajang River, which used to flow through the heart of the town, but much of that network has now disappeared due to illegal occupation and shrinking water flow.
Several canals have been filled up entirely, while others have been converted into drains by the municipality, with markets constructed over them and later sold, according to locals.
The Louhajang River itself is now nearly dead due to encroachment and pollution, worsening the loss of its connected canals and natural drainage system.
Environmental groups say the canals must be recovered to restore ecological balance, warning of severe environmental consequences if action is not taken.
The Shyamababu canal, which runs through the town, has already been turned into a waste-filled drain, emitting foul odours and causing distress to pedestrians due to lack of cleaning.
Experts say restoring the canals would require freeing the Louhajang River from encroachment and ensuring normal water flow through dredging and re-excavation.
The Louhajang originates in Kashinagar area of Tangail Sadar from the Dhaleshwari River and stretches about 76 kilometres before meeting the Banshai River in Mirzapur, but its flow has reduced significantly over the decades.
A sluice gate built at the river’s source in the 1990s under a Water Development Board project led to silt accumulation, gradually choking the river and reducing its natural flow.
A 2016 eviction drive to clear encroachment along a 1.5-kilometre stretch of the river was halted midway for unknown reasons, despite initial removal of illegal structures.
A survey by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) found that out of 18 wards in the municipality, four have no canals left, while 27 canals still exist in the remaining wards in varying conditions.
BELA Research Officer Goutam Chandra said the district administration had long been informed about the canals, adding that there are clear government directives to recover rivers and water bodies.
Field visits show that influential groups have occupied canals by dumping waste and constructing boundary walls before building multi-storey structures on filled land.
Professor ASM Saifullah of Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University said the loss of natural drainage systems is damaging wetlands and altering land characteristics, posing a serious threat to human habitation.
District Citizens’ Rights Protection Committee General Secretary Engineer Nur Mohammad Rajya said re-excavating major canals could help protect southern Tangail from environmental risks.
Tangail Municipality Administrator Mahfuzul Alam Masum said steps would be taken to prevent further encroachment and action would follow if government directives are issued.
Bangladesh Water Development Board Executive Engineer Mayn Uddin said proposals have already been submitted to dredge several canals, and tenders worth nearly Tk48 crore have been invited for re-excavation and riverbank protection of the Dhaleshwari and Louhajang rivers.
He expressed hope that the work would begin soon.
