The shipping minister recently informed that mobile courts have been directed to realise hefty amount of fines from those involved in encroaching or polluting rivers. He said this after the task force meeting on checking pollution and restoring the navigability of rivers including the Buriganga, Sitalakhya, Balu and Turag. The minister further said that the government is pursuing zero tolerance towards any encroachment and none of those involved in grabbing rivers would be spared. He added that rivers of the country would be freed from encroachment phase by phase.
People would like to pin their hopes on such strong warnings from such a heavyweight minister, but their hopes were belied in the past as they fell flat on the deaf ears of the powerful grabbers. Even the government sponsored demolition drive did not work as no sooner than the demolition workers departed, the land sharks began to erect fresh structures on the site. This is how land grabbing goes on unabated.
Rivers are the lifeline of a country like Bangladesh. The economy of a riverine country shall come to a stand still without free flowing rivers. We know from our experience that mere threats and warnings do not work and grabbing continues to exist as a crime. The question that boggles our minds is that who are the persons involved in river grabbing? It is certainly not the poor but only the influential quarters who are involved in the crime and long hand of the law can not reach them.
Most of the rivers in the country have almost dried up by now. Those which are clogged are in death throes. The economy will be in uncharted waters unless the navigability of the rivers and the breeding ground of fishes are restored. But that is not possible if the practice of encroachment and grabbing is not stopped once for all. Imposition of hefty fines is not enough to stop encroachment and grabbing. People tend to think that any one found involved in land grabbing must be dealt with a heavy hand. Apart from heavy fines, they should be awarded exemplary punishment so that no body ever dares to commit similar crimes in future.
The main bugbear is the tannery industry. The industry owners are responsible for pollution of rivers and water bodies and should be asked to leave on their own arrangements. On the other hand, regular dredging of rivers and keeping them free from pollution is necessary to maintain their navigability.
As the country's population is rising, the government must devise ways and means to increase fish production through the best use of existing natural water resources, especially the major rivers and their tributaries. From time immemorial, fish has been meeting the protein requirement for humans in this region. Bangladesh is blessed with many rivers and their tributaries, marshes and canals. Apart from natural breeding of fishes in different water bodies including rivers, fishes are grown by undertaking different pisciculture projects. Many such projects have sprung up in different parts of the country at recent times. But due to continuous human interventions in the last couple of years, the bio-diversity of the rivers together with the Haors is on the verge of extinction in the country.
The mighty rivers, their tributaries and haors in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Habiganj, Moulvibazar, Netrakona, Kishoreganj and Brahmanbaria were once considered as the food basket for the country. Those were the natural repositories for many species of delicious fishes. But the fish and other resources of these rivers and Haors are declining fast. Once there were many varieties of naturally bred fish in the water bodies of the country but some varieties have faced extinction due to widespread use of poisonous pesticides, insecticides and chemical fertilisers in croplands. Catching of mother fishes during the breeding period and fish fry with current nets are no less responsible for the declining fish production.
The government should protect the existing rivers and other water bodies in the interest of augmented fish production in the country. Survival of millions of fishermen is dependent on fisheries resources. So, it is the responsibility of the relevant authorities to protect their interests. Public awareness in this regard should also be built up. Grabbing of rivers and wetlands by a section of influential people is contributing to the shrinkage of the country's rivers and wetlands which must be stopped. The rivers and water bodies across the country are gradually shrinking day by day. Besides, many ponds and water bodies are lying unutilised throughout the country in absence of proper policy on care and maintenance. Those should be reclaimed and brought under fish cultivation.
In addition provision of bank loans on easy terms and adequate training for the fishermen, fish culturists, particularly jobless youths, can provide encouragement in this regard. Poisoning of valuable fish in rivers, ponds and other water bodies hits the newspaper headlines very often. Under the circumstances, vigilance on the part of the appropriate authorities, fish culturists and rural volunteers, particularly at night can stop this menace. Conservation of the rivers, water resources and other wetlands has become indispensable for the sake of boosting fish production. At the same time, rivers and other water bodies should be freed from all encroachment to ensure their navigability and at the same time all sorts of pollution and contamination should be stopped so that the indigenous fish species can be saved from extinction.
Today's slogan should be: save the rivers, save the country and save fishes for growing prosperity.
The writer is a retired Professor of Economics, BCS General Education Cadre.
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- Tuesday, 23 April 2024 |
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