Rizwana: Final list of rivers to be published on Pohela Boishakh

Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan on Tuesday announced that the final list of rivers in the country will be published on Pohela Boishakh next year.

She made this announcement at an awareness seminar held at the Multipurpose Hall of the Pani Bhaban in Dhaka, regarding the determination of the number of rivers in Bangladesh.

In addition, the adviser directed that the list of all the canals in each district be submitted within three months.

The adviser said that in finalizing the list of rivers, the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Shipping, and the Ministry of Land will be involved.

She clarified that there are no "dead" rivers, but there may be rivers that are without flow. There are various processes or ways to revive such rivers. The leasing of river land by labeling a river as "dead" is not possible.

She said that the lists for the haor (wetland) areas and beels (water bodies) have already been finalized, and the next step is to finalize the list of canals.

The adviser instructed all district commissioners across the country, who joined the seminar virtually, to verify and send the list of all canals in their respective districts to the ministry within the next three months.

Rizwana Hasan also directed concerned authorities to formulate a detailed action plan for cleaning and freeing the Buriganga, Turag, and Shitalakkhya rivers around Dhaka from encroachment and pollution.

She further said that the plan to create a blue network by freeing the 21 canals inside Dhaka from encroachment and pollution has almost been finalized, and the implementation will begin soon.

Additionally, work to free one river in each district from encroachment and pollution will start shortly.