Over the decades, our rivers have lost their lustrous glory

The World Bank has agreed to take lead in a landmark project to breathe life back into the five rivers surrounding Dhaka city involving about $20 billion.

Blessed with a 110km waterway network of four rivers, Dhaka could have been one of the world's best cities with rich environmental and ecological diversity and great sources of drinking water. The reality, however, is simply the opposite as the rivers are dying a slow death due to years of encroachment and pollution, improper demarcation and inadequate dredging.