Illegal occupation and pollution have threatened the existence of the old Gomti river in Cumilla city.
Influential people continue to occupy parts of the river banks and build shops and multi-storied buildings there.
Garbage is regularly dumped into this natural reservoir. When you go to the river bank, it seems that everyone is in the race to occupy and fill up the river! The river is now almost dead as sewage lines and garbage are dumped at different parts of the river.
Meanwhile, the district administration has made a list of 522 people who have occupied the two banks of the river in the last few years and set up illegal establishments. This list was first prepared in 2003. Since then, the administration has given more than 10 notices to the occupants to vacate the river. Operations to reclaim the river are also few.
The Gomti River originates at a place called Dumur in the northeastern hilly region of the Indian state of Tripura. The river flows through the state of Tripura and enters Bangladesh through the Cumilla-Bibirbazar border. The river then flows into Daudkandi in Cumilla and joins the Meghna River.
The river had been called the sorrow of Cumilla till the sixties of the last century due to its fullness in the rainy season, as during the monsoon the river water would flood Cumilla city. Then, the course of the river changed following building of a dam to save the city from floods. From that time onwards, people have been calling the part of the river from Kaptanbazar in Cumilla Sadar to Chanpur-Shubhpur as Old Gomti. The length of the old Gomti is about six kilometres.
On a recent visit to the Old Gomti River at Chanpur, Dumuria Chanpur, Shubhpur and Tikkarchar, this correspondent found that most parts of the river have been occupied. Roads have been constructed for the movement of people with dams at five places on the river. Drains have been constructed for water circulation under the road. Various structures including multi-storied buildings have been constructed on both banks of the river.
Most of the people are dumping garbage on both sides of the river. The river water is black and smelly. With this all, the existence of the river is now under threat. It can be said that the river is now almost dead.
Locals said that although the administration took steps to evict the illegal occupants from the old Gomti river, it was not implemented due to political and other unknown reasons. An initiative was taken last year to free 258.74 acres of the river from illegal occupants by making an updated list. After receiving this news, the occupiers started various political and administrative lobbying to stop the operation. After that the administration could not rescue the river.
The list of occupants of the river consists mostly of leaders and activists of different political parties. There are also local influential people. They have occupied the river and built houses and shops.
Omar Faruq, a local, said that during the city elections in 2017, the current mayor announced to transform the old Gomti river into the capital's Hatirjheel. But he has not done anything yet. The people of Cumilla want the mayor's announcement to be implemented soon.
Bangladesh Environment Movement (BAPA) Cumilla President Dr Mosleh Uddin Ahmed said, "We have carried out various programmes to protect the river." I have given a memorandum to the deputy commissioner and city mayor. However, even though there is law in the country, the law is not enforced. Due to which the list of river possession is getting longer. The administration has to go on campaign to protect the river.
Water Development Board, Cumilla Executive Engineer Md. Abdul Latif said, "We have made a list of illegal occupants."
That list has also been handed over to the district administration. We do not have enough manpower. Even then, I hope the district administration and we will be able to recover the occupied parts of the river in a short time.
Cumilla Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Mohammad Main Uddin said, "We are conducting regular operations to free the river from occupation."
