State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury MP said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had taken steps to protect the rivers around Dhaka from encroachment and pollution in 1998. But after the elections in 2001, no further steps were taken to protect the river and the environment. Bangladesh has been affected by this. Rivers and the environment of Bangladesh have been damaged.
The state minister made these remarks in his speech as the Chief Guest at the National Workshop on the Draft Report on ‘Shifting Dockyards along Buriganga River to Appropriate Places’ at CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka on Monday.
Khalid Mahmud said, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken many steps to maintain the navigability of the rivers in the last 14 years. Various types of dredgers, special dredgers have been procured, large scale projects have been undertaken. The country is progressing in all the indicators. The waterways, shipyards and dockyards need to be environmentally friendly and of international standards.
After 21 years, Awami League came to power in 1996 and, as the founder Sheikh Hasina began talking about rivers and environment.
Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping Md. Mostofa Kamal and Chairman of the National River Conservation Commission (NRCC) Dr Manjur Ahmed Chowdhury also spoke on the occasion. Chairman of BIWTA Commodore Golam Sadeq presided over the meeting.
