A legal notice has been sent to the concerned bodies demanding the formulation of a time-bound action plan for the pollution free status of 54 rivers across the country.
Lawyer S Hasanul Banna on Monday sent the notice on behalf of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA).
Secretaries to the Ministries of Environment, Industries, Shipping, Land, Fisheries and Livestock, Water Resources, Agriculture, Finance, Public Administration, Local Government, Chairman of the National River Protection Commission, Inspector General of Police, Director General of the Bangladesh Water Development Board, Director General of the Environment Department and Chairman of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) have been asked to comply with the notice within 10 days.
The respondents will have to face legal consequences if they fail to comply with the notice within 10 days, also read the notice.
The notice has also demanded identification of sources of pollution of the rivers, to prepare of a full list of the polluters and to take necessary steps for the prevention of pollution.
It has also demanded to bring the polluters under the law, to hand down appropriate punishment to them and to realise compensation from them.
It also demanded the authorities declare the highly polluted and lifeless rivers as ecologically critical, and to maintain the rivers accordingly.
The rivers are- Buriganga, Brahmaputra, Shitalakshya, Turag, Daleshwary, Meghna, Balu, Arial Khan, Moynakata, Bil Padma, Kirtinasha, Suti, Paruli, Chilai, Kaliganga, Padma, Banar, Louhajang and Bangshi of Dhaka division.
The list also included the names of Jamuna, Korotoa, Gonga, Atrai, Narod, Ichamoti of Rajshahi division, Tista, Kharkharia of Rangpur division, Khiru of Mymensingh division, and Karnaphuli, Halda, Bil Dakatia, Titas of Chattogram division.
The list also included the rivers Mayur, Bhairav, Rupsha, Mathabhanga, Pashur, Kakshiyali, Gorai, Modhumoti, Kumar of Khulna division and Kirtonkhola, Sugandha, Lohalia, Tetulia, Khakdona, Shib Baria of Barishal division, Surma, Kushiyara, Sutang, Sonai, Korangi, Barak, Dolai of Sylhet division.
