World Rivers day will be observed throughout the world on Sunday (Sept 30).
However, Bangladesh will observe this day as National River Conservation Day in accordance with an initiative taken by the National River Conservation Commission.
In separate messages on the eve of the World Rivers day, President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called for the conservation of rivers and prevention of water pollution to safeguard the environment.
The president emphasized the need to conserve rivers so that the future generation can live in a pollution-free, sustainable world.
“Like the rest of the world, Bangladesh is having to fight for the conservation of its rivers,” said the president.
“Grabbing of rivers, pollution of water and environment, building of illegal structures on water bodies are rapidly destroying the rivers which are vital to our growth and development,” he added.
Hamid said that our civilization, society, economy and life system have been dependent on rivers since ancient times and it is still imperative to the nation’s vital force, history and heritage.
Although he deems shipping as a positive contribution to the development of all kinds of trade and commerce at the social, regional and national levels, the president has cited natural and man-made reasons as the main reason for the destruction of rivers.
In a separate message, the prime minister said “Agriculture and rural economy are dependent on rivers, canals, haors and other water bodies as almost one third of the country’s economy is dependent on the rivers.”
Reiterating the president’s message, she said that around 405 rivers and 57 trans-boundary rivers are flowing inside Bangladesh but they are increasingly becoming contaminated due to climate change and man-made issues.
The prime minister said that her government has formulated the National River Conservation Commission Act to prevent grabbing of rivers, pollution and establishing of illegal structures.
She hoped that the act along with the Delta Plan 2100 will retrieve the natural flow of river, and make rivers favorable to shipping to ensure their multidimensional use for the socioeconomic development of the country. BSS