Dhaka: Water Resources Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has emphasized that the protection of Dhaka's rivers is achievable through the collective efforts of all stakeholders. She highlighted the extensive pollution affecting the rivers surrounding the city, which is disrupting the environmental balance and leading to a loss of biodiversity.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, who also serves as the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser, made these remarks during a seminar titled 'Policy Dialogue Reviving Dhaka's Rivers: Policy Options for Sustainable Management,' organized by North South University. She mentioned that the River Research Institute is actively compiling a list of rivers across the country, including those in Dhaka, to facilitate the swift removal of waste from these water bodies.
Rizwana elaborated on a new project involving the Buriganga, Shitalakshya, Balu, Turag, and Dhaleshwari rivers in Dhaka, along with eight rivers in eight divisions. This initiative aims to restore the navigability of the rivers through waste removal and dredging operations. She stressed that with political will, administrative cooperation, and public involvement, saving the rivers is not an impossible task.
The adviser also advocated for the establishment of small-scale sewage disposal systems as a vital component of proper waste management. Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Mohammad Ejaz participated in the seminar as a special guest, with NSU Vice Chancellor Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury presiding over the event.
NSU Professor Dr. Abdus Samad presented the keynote paper, while Professor Md. Zakaria of the Department of Climate Change and Disaster Management, public health specialists Dr. Anupam Hossain, and Professor Md. Zulfikar Ali, among others, were present at the seminar.