Residents in Madaripur municipality are calling for urgent restoration and excavation of canals, warning that most of the waterways that once shaped the town have disappeared due to encroachment and illegal filling, worsening waterlogging and raising environmental concerns.
Although official records list 22 canals within the municipality, locals and environmental activists say many have vanished or been significantly narrowed over time because of unplanned urbanisation, land grabbing and infilling.
Established in 1875 along the banks of the Arial Khan and Kumar rivers, Madaripur municipality was historically a riverine settlement supported by a wide network of canals and channels.
Municipal sources say the town once had more than a hundred canals linked to the two rivers, which played a key role in drainage, water flow, transport and trade.
Over the years, however, most of these canals have been lost. The listed waterways include Harikumaria, Tarmuguria, Seidarbali, Kumar Khali, Kalitala, Goidi, Amirabad, Rasti, Barishal, Thanatoli, Sadar Upazila, Bakultala, Bramandi, Pakdi, Char Khagdi, the canal adjacent to Char Muguria cattle market, Khagdi, 11 No. Bridge Thanatoli, New Madaripur Lakshmiganj, Char Madan Rai, Char Muguria and Rupraya canals.
Once a thriving ecosystem, the canals supported fish, aquatic plants and birdlife, while also serving as transport routes. Residents recall that boats regularly moved through these waterways, carrying goods across the town.
“I used to see boats moving through the canals when I was young. Now those canals no longer exist,” said Ilyas Munshi Irad, a resident of the College Road area in Madaripur town.
Residents near the DC Bridge area said the loss and encroachment of canals have directly affected the urban environment, blocking drainage systems and causing waterlogging even after light rainfall.
They added that many canals have been occupied and converted into houses and markets, and urged authorities to reclaim what remains of the waterways.
Friends of Nature executive director Razon Mahmud said restoration and excavation of the canals is essential, stressing that immediate steps are needed to protect the remaining water channels.
Madaripur municipal administrator Jesmin Akhter Banu said canal excavation is a priority government project, adding that a list has already been prepared and restoration work will be undertaken.
Environmental groups and residents have warned that unless canals connected to the Arial Khan and Kumar rivers are restored, Madaripur could face a deeper environmental crisis, calling for urgent eviction of encroachers and re-excavation efforts.
