Environmentalists formed a 71-km-long human chain on the banks of the Turag river on Saturday morning demanding an end to pollution and grabbing of the river. The Turag flows across Tagnail, Gazipur and Dhaka districts, and is linked to the Jamuna river system through the Lohajong river in Tangail. It joins the Buriganga river near Mirpur in the capital. The Environment Department has already declared it an ‘ecologically critical area’ (ECA). The human chain was organised by different environmental groups, led by Save the Rivers Movement, Bangladesh, to press home their four-point demand to save the Turag. Through the human chain, the activists demanded to free the Turag from illegal grabbing, and setting up environment friendly industry to ensure pollution free water in the river. They formed the human chain at 15 different places, including Kaliakoir Bazar, Kadda Bazar, Tongi Bridge, Kamarpara Bridge near Ijtema ground area, Mirzapur Bazar in Sadar upazila of Gazipur district, Ashulia, Amin Bazar Bridge and Basila Bridge in Savar upazila of Dhaka district, along the banks of the river in the morning. The programme that started from 10 am is scheduled to continue till 12pm. Save the Environment Movement, Bangladesh president Anwar Sadat, its vice presidents Manir Hossain, Khandaker Aminul Islam Tutul, convener Manowar Hossain Rony, convener of Buriganga Banchao Andolon Mihir Biswas and representatives of other environmental organizations attended the programme. — Gazipur, Dec 26 (UNB)
