Not possible to save Dhaka if canals cannot be freed from encroachment: Mirza Fakhrul

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called for a united effort to solve the long-standing waste management and civic problems of the capital Dhaka, regardless of party affiliation. 

He said that to make Dhaka beautiful and livable, not BNP, Jatiya Party, or Jamaat-e-Islami, but everyone as conscious citizens will have to work together. 

Raising the issue of the crisis of rivers and potable water, the BNP Secretary General said that once the water of Buriganga and Turag was very clean, but now the rivers are almost dead due to pollution. 

He mentioned that a project to bring 500 million litres of water from the Meghna River to Dhaka every day is being implemented as the groundwater level has dropped alarmingly. It will not be possible to save Dhaka city if the Buriganga, Turag, and Shitalakshya rivers and natural canals cannot be freed from encroachment and decontaminated. At the same time, the weakness of medical waste management must be addressed.

He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled ‘Urban Waste Management: The Responsibility of Me, You and All’ at Dhaka North City Corporation Bhaban on Wednesday. 

Mirza Fakhrul said that Dhaka is currently ranked third from the bottom among the least liveable cities in the world. It is not possible for any individual or organisation to change this situation overnight. 

He said that since the city corporation does not have the power to make decisions alone, they are helpless in many cases. Due to the lack of coordination between RAJUK, WASA, and the Power Division, various sufferings including potholes occur during the monsoon. 

To permanently solve these problems, there is a need to bring the city corporation under a strong central structure and establish effective coordination and control over the related organizations, he opined.

Drawing on his experience as a former chairman of Thakurgaon Municipality, Mirza Fakhrul said that not all changes are possible through law enforcement or government initiatives alone. Just as people are following traffic laws due to AI-based surveillance on cantonments and various roads, citizens must be responsible when throwing garbage in dustbins. This awareness should be spread to every family, starting with primary school and kindergarten students.

At the end of his speech, he said that in the last 50 years, numerous seminars and workshops have been held, but the most important thing is – ‘I will keep my city clean.’ 

Stating that he wants to see Dhaka beautiful and green again at the end of his life, he urged everyone to fulfill their respective responsibilities.

The programme was chaired by Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Md. Shafiqul Islam Khan, and State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam and State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Aminul Haque spoke as special guests.

Also present at the event were Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator, freedom fighter Abdus Salam, Secretary of the Ministry of Power and Mineral Resources Mirna Shahrukh, Secretary of the Local Government Division Shahidul Hasan, WASA Managing Director Aminul Islam, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Dr. Md. Saimum Parvez, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed, Chairman of the Capital Development Authority Engineer Md. Riazul Islam, President of BGMEA Mahmudul Hasan Khan, and officials and employees of various levels of Dhaka North City Corporation.