All manufacturing factories currently running inside Dhaka and other divisional cities will be relocated to the 110 special economic zones.
The decision was taken at the 37th meeting of a taskforce formed to preserve the navigability of important rivers including the Buriganga, the Shitalakshya, the Balu and the Turag.
Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan revealed the decision after the meeting on Sunday.
The minister, who heads the taskforce, said the industrial zone authorities in Dhaka and seven other divisional cities were asked not to allow new factories to be set up there.
However, Shajahan Khan did not mention any deadline for the relocation.
Talking about relocation of tanneries to Savar, the minister said, 35 per cent of the tanneries were transferred to Savar until November last year.
The Department of Environment will take action against factories that do not operate effluent treatment plants, the minister said.
“Deputy Commissioners will be ordered to not let anyone erect anything by riversides until the survey is done,” Shajahan Khan said.
Officials from Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authorities or BIWTA will be assigned for clearing riversides off illegal establishments, he added.
“River police works for providing safety on river routes. BIWTA will form a separate team,” the minister said.
The ministry is already proceeding with an operation to save 13 canals in Dhaka, said the shipping minister adding that some unscrupulous individuals were still filling up the canals.
“We will visit the spots with taskforce officials. The team will contain a magistrate and mobile court will pass orders to save the canals.”
According to bdnews24, Land Minister Shamsur Rahman Sherif, Environment and Forests Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud and State Minister for Power Nasrul Hamid Bipu were present at the meeting.