Staff Reporter :
National River Conservation Commission (NRCC) Chairman ASM Ali Kabir on Saturday said that it has prepared lists of 60,000 illegal grabbers who occupied rivers across the country. Of them, more than 18,000 illegal occupants have already evicted operating several drives.
“The illegal grabbers are so influential. But, the NRCC is not weak, it’s also strong. Those, who are still occupying the river lands who would evicted soon. At the same time, legal actions would also be taken against them if they don’t surrender the lands,” he assured while addressing a discussion meeting on Saturday held at Jatiya Press Club (JPC) in Dhaka.
Bangladesh Nodi Bachao Andolon (Save the River Movement of Bangladesh) organized the meeting marking observation of World Rivers Day, 2021. The World Rivers Day is observed every year on the fourth Sunday of September. This year, the day is being observed on Saturday.
Organisation’s Central President Prof Anwar Sadat chaired and Joint secretary Burhanuddin Auronno moderated the event while NRCC member Kamrun Nahar Ahmed, General Secretary Anwar Hossain, vice presidents SM Shafiqul Islam Kanu, Majeda Shawkat, Lutfor Rahman, Khandker Amirul Haq, Monir Munna, joint secretaries Kalimullah Iqbal, Basir Uddin, Amirul Islam, Treasurer Anwar Hossain and Shamim Ahmed Dewan, Dhaka City Unit General Secretary Mohosinul Karim and Vice-President Mizanur Rahman also spoke among others.
Responding to the demand, the NRCC Chairman opined that the government should constitute a separate ‘River and Waterbody Ministry’ to save the country’s rivers for the betterment of the livelihood and protect ecosystem conserving water in the rivers.
Ali Kabir also suggested the government for introducing ‘National Award’ for those who have been fighting to save the rivers and ecosystem creating awareness among the people.
The speakers also demanded constitution of a tribunal for punishing the grabbers and polluters, recovering the rivers and canals from the illegal occupants and prevent misuse of public funds allocated for saving the rivers.
