Awareness drive on Mahananda banks urges river protection

Marking World River Day, the Shibganj upazila unit of Bashundhara Shuvosangho staged a poster exhibition and public awareness campaign on the banks of the Mahananda River on Sunday.

The initiative aimed to raise public consciousness on preserving the river’s natural flow and navigability, preventing illegal encroachment and pollution, and protecting the lives and livelihoods of river-dependent communities. Palli Foundation expressed solidarity with the event.

Various awareness posters calling for the protection of the Mahananda were displayed during the programme, highlighting the urgency of restoring river navigability, stopping encroachments, halting industrial and domestic pollution, and preserving aquatic biodiversity.

During the event, the organisers unveiled the "Mahananda Declaration 2026". The declaration laid out key demands, including ensuring the unimpeded natural flow of the Mahananda, curbing pollution and land-grabbing, incorporating the perspectives of riverside communities in river-management policies, preserving biodiversity, and rehabilitating victims of riverbank erosion.

Presided over by Shibganj unit of Bashundhara Shuvosangho President Haji Halim Raj, the programme was attended by the organisation's advisers LM Tahir Hossain and Principal Tajemul Haque, Palli Foundation Vice-Chairman Sumaiya Halim, executive committee members, local residents, environmentalists, and conscious citizens.

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Speakers at the gathering stressed that the Mahananda is not merely a watercourse, but an integral lifeline bearing the memories, livelihood, and nature of the region. They noted that alongside river conservation, the fundamental rights, safety, and rehabilitation of families displaced by river erosion must be addressed with priority.

In his presidential address, Haji Halim Raj said, "To save the Mahananda, we must move forward by actively engaging the local community. Alongside protecting the river's ecological balance and flow, standing by the victims of river erosion is our collective moral duty."

Participants concluded the programme by pledging to forge broad-based social awareness, ensure community participation, and work collaboratively to safeguard rivers across the country.