That the Buriganga revival project now has come to a standstill is not a bad thing in the sense that haphazardly wasting money in the name of implementing it, is unwarranted

The failing Buriganga River Restoration Project

That the Buriganga River Restoration Project, taken to revive the Buriganga and other rivers surrounding the capital city from pollution, has fallen flat is a disappointing piece of information. The project was scheduled to dredge 162 kilometre area of rivers to bring water from the Jamuna river for increasing the water flow of the Buriganga during the lean season so that increased flow in the latter could push forward the pollutants.
The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) started the river dredging work in 2012 but suspended the same after a year for lack of dredgers. But it is unfortunate to note that crores of taka had been allegedly misused in such river dredging activities.  Some high officials of the BWDB also blamed fund crisis for non-implementation of the project. But it is a lame excuse.  If the work of the river restoration project is done with a good intention, fund is no problem. Many unnecessary
projects are taken up on political considerations in the Annual Development Plans (ADPs). Those hardly serve any purpose. Such ADP projects of dubious value can be dropped and monies earmarked for their implementation can be routed to the Buriganga project. Besides, foreign aid can also be invited for it. What is needed is proper monitoring, supervision, accountability and transparency of the works to be done.
But even dredging alone will not free the Buriganga  from the scourge of pollution unless the industrial wastes now released freely by the industrial units located in the river’s banks, is checked. Scores of industries, including the tanneries in Hazaribagh,  are dumping toxic and hazardous effluents into the river everyday. It must be checked. Setting up of Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) at every such industrial unit should be ensured at the soonest. ETPs can also be set up under government initiative. The government decided long ago to shift the tanneries from Hazaribagh near the Buriganga to Savar to free the area from pollution but the project is yet to be implemented.  That the Buriganga revival project now has come to a standstill is not a bad thing in the sense that haphazardly wasting money in the name of implementing it, is unwarranted. Government may seek to implement it only after carefully preparing and financing the project and ensuring that it would be truly and comprehensively well implemented to deliver the expected results.

That the Buriganga revival project now has come to a standstill is not a bad thing in the sense that haphazardly wasting money in the name of implementing it, is unwarranted

The failing Buriganga River Restoration Project

That the Buriganga River Restoration Project, taken to revive the Buriganga and other rivers surrounding the capital city from pollution, has fallen flat is a disappointing piece of information. The project was scheduled to dredge 162 kilometre area of rivers to bring water from the Jamuna river for increasing the water flow of the Buriganga during the lean season so that increased flow in the latter could push forward the pollutants. The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) started the river dredging work in 2012 but suspended the same after a year for lack of dredgers. But it is unfortunate to note that crores of taka had been allegedly misused in such river dredging activities. Some high officials of the BWDB also blamed fund crisis for non-implementation of the project. But it is a lame excuse. If the work of the river restoration project is done with a good intention, fund is no problem. Many unnecessary projects are taken up on political considerations in the Annual Development Plans (ADPs). Those hardly serve any purpose. Such ADP projects of dubious value can be dropped and monies earmarked for their implementation can be routed to the Buriganga project. Besides, foreign aid can also be invited for it. What is needed is proper monitoring, supervision, accountability and transparency of the works to be done. But even dredging alone will not free the Buriganga from the scourge of pollution unless the industrial wastes now released freely by the industrial units located in the rivers banks, is checked. Scores of industries, including the tanneries in Hazaribagh, are dumping toxic and hazardous effluents into the river everyday. It must be checked. Setting up of Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) at every such industrial unit should be ensured at the soonest. ETPs can also be set up under government initiative. The government decided long ago to shift the tanneries from Hazaribagh near the Buriganga to Savar to free the area from pollution but the project is yet to be implemented. That the Buriganga revival project now has come to a standstill is not a bad thing in the sense that haphazardly wasting money in the name of implementing it, is unwarranted. Government may seek to implement it only after carefully preparing and financing the project and ensuring that it would be truly and comprehensively well implemented to deliver the expected results.