President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday called for the conservation of rivers and prevention of water pollution to safeguard the environment.
They made the call in separate messages on the eve of World Rivers Day.
In his message, President Md Abdul Hamid welcomed the initiatives of National River Conservation Commission to observe National River Conservation Day on Worlds Rivers Day.
He said Bangladesh is a riverine country but it’s rivers are facing different hazards.
“Rivers, riverbanks and foreshores are being grabbed. Biodiversity, river water and the environment are being polluted and destroyed gradually,” he said.
The President underscored the need for conservation of rivers to keep a livable earth for the new generation.
He also urged the river conservation commission to take tough actions to prevent grabbing of rivers, pollution of water and environment, building of illegal structures on water bodies and other irregularities.
In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the country’s agriculture and rural economy are dependent on rivers, canals, haors and other water bodies.
She said some 405 rivers and 57 trans-boundary rivers are flowing inside Bangladesh. Due to climate change and different natural and man-made problems, the country’s rivers and water bodies are being polluted gradually.
The prime minister said her government has formulated National River Conservation Commission Act 2013 to prevent grabbing of rivers, pollution and establishing of illegal structures, retrieve natural flow of river, proper maintenance of rivers and make rivers as favorable to shipping to ensure the rivers multidimensional use for the socioeconomic development of the country.
She expressed her hope that the commission will play an important role in freeing the rivers, canals and water bodies from grabbers and prevent water pollution to contribute to the overall economic development of the country.
The President and the Prime Minister wished success of all programmes marking the World Rivers Day-2018.
