Proper study before 4th bridge on Buriganga demanded

Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon forms a human chain at Shahbagh in the city yesterday demanding proper study before building the fourth Buriganga bridge. PHOTO: STAR

They said the Buriganga river is almost close to death because of excessive pollution, illegal encroachment and rampant commercial use by the unscrupulous people. Another bridge over this river without proper study will further aggravate the situation.

Buriganga Bachao Andolan, a component of the environmentalists' forum Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan (BAPA), organised the rally in front of National Museum in the city.

Vice president of BAPA Syed A N M Wahed presided over the rally while general secretary Mohidul Haque Khan, Mihir Biswas, Taksim A Khan, Zakir Hossain and Iqbal Habib, among others, addressed the rally.

They said the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) had hurriedly started earth-filling works on the southern side of Kamrangirchar without any study, aiming at constructing the fourth bridge on the river.

The earthwork to stop the river's second course of water flow will suspend transportation from Kamalbag to Rayerbazar, BAPA leaders said.

They are also afraid that the surrounding areas as well as the whole city would fall prey to a severe water-logging with further deterioration in the overall environment.

The speakers called for taking immediate steps in the light of recommendations made by the government taskforce earlier to improve the river's navigability, maintain its flows and evict the illegal encroachers.