Narsunda River, flowing through the chest of Kishoreganj is currently on the verge of death due to persistent encroachment and waste pollution.
The river, which is about 50 km long, is getting narrower day by day as land grabbers are out to grab both sides of the river.
Once the river supplied drinking water and supported trade and commerce in the neighbourhood but over the years, the land grabbers set up illegal factories and other establishments on both sides of the river.
Narasunda is now dying because of pollution. Huge quantities of toxic chemicals and wastes from mills and factories, hospitals, clinics, households and other establishments are dumped into the river every day causing a slow death of the river.
Both the banks of the river are used to discharge solid waste. The water of the river is not visible because of thick layers of water hyacinth.
Former Local Government and Rural Development Minister Syed Ashraful Islam initiated the widening of the river by the Tk110 crore project titled “Kishoreganj Narsunda River Digging and Municipal Area Development Project” in November 2012. During that time, the river was widened and dredged to a depth of between six and 12 feet, but in vain. The project work was completed in 2016. The river subsequently, within a few years, has been occupied in innovative ways.
Influential circles have dumped soil or waste in different parts of the river, built illegal structures in some places and occupied them.
Due to the lack of navigability, the odour of the rotten waste upset the local people and spread numerous diseases. The river has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes causing immense suffering to the people living near the river.
Locals have requested the authorities to take the initiative to clean up the dirt and garbage from the river. They also demanded the implementation of the Detailed Project Plan (DPP) to overcome this situation.