Legal action will be taken against river grabbers: Rizwana

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser for the Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, today said directives have been given to deputy commissioners to take legal action against river encroachers.

“There is a list of river grabbers now and actions will be taken accordingly,” she said while briefing reporters after inspecting the erosion-prone areas of the Gomti River, which was recently affected by floods in Burichong in Cumilla.

Rizwana said divisional commissioners have been given two months deadline to submit a plan to make all rivers of the country free from encroachment.

With the cooperation of the commoners, she said, it will be possible to recover rivers, canals, and water bodies.

The water resources adviser said flood and rainfall data will be sought from India.

She said discussions may take place over water sharing of common rivers but India should inform lower riparian Bangladesh once it opens the gates of dams.

Rizwana noted that multilateral discussions would also be initiated involving other countries having basins of common rivers apart from India.

The secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources, the director general of the Water Development Board, officials from the Ministry of Water Resources and the Bangladesh Water Development Board, as well as people from various professions, were present. (BSS)