Chairman of the National River Protection Commission (NRPC) Dr Mojibur Rahman Hawlader has stressed the need for taking sustainable development projects to protect the rivers, river water and resources.
“We have to work unitedly irrespective of political affiliations to protect the rivers. Otherwise, it will not be possible to protect the rivers and river water and water resources,” Dr Hawlader said. He was interacting with activists of the ‘Chilmari Upazila River Protection Committee’ and ‘Ulipur Bachao-Buri Teesta Bachao Movement’ at separate functions held on Sunday in Ulipur and Chilmari upazilas of Kurigram as the chief guest.
Earlier, the NRPC Chairman visited the river Buri Teesta in Ulipur upazila at the Gunaigachh Bridge point where activists of the ‘Ulipur Bachao-Buri Teesta Bachao Movement’ called upon him to save the river from extinction. Fulltime Member of NRPC Md Alauddin, its Honorary member Md Moniruzzaman, President of Chilmari Upazila River Protection Committee and Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rashedul Haq, Chilmari upazila chairman Shawkat Ali Sarker, Bir Bikram, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) SM Mehedi Hasan, Executive Engineer of Water Development Board Shafikur Rahman, Chilmari Upazila Agriculture Officer Khaledur Rahman, district council Member Md Rezaul Karim, President of Upazila Awami League Moti Sheuly and local journalists attended the functions.
Dr Hawlader said all necessary steps would be taken in the near future to bring the navigability of the river Buri Teesta.
He directed the Kurigram district administration to cancel all of the fake papers created illegally by the land grabbers and river encroachers at the shortest possible time to save the river Buri Teesta. “No exemption will be given to the river grabbers and the district administration will have to take steps to evict all illegal structures erected on the riverbanks and illegally grabbed river lands,” he said. The NRPC Chairman sought cooperation from the people in saving and transforming the rivers into wealth through implementing sustainable development projects to speed up national progress.
