Rivers are the lifelines of Bangladesh, yet they are in dire straits. I remember vividly the day I crossed the Buriganga River on my way to Bhola five months ago sailing through water blackened and foul-smelling water. To me, it seemed simply polluted and dirty — but for the riverside communities, this contamination has severe consequences. More than 700 rivers and tributaries across the country bear witness to the same reality—pollution, encroachment, and sand dredging devastating local ecosystems and lives.
In response, prominent environmental lawyer Syeda Rizwana Hasan, also the advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, recently announced an ambitious plan to free eight rivers from pollution and illegal encroachments. By focusing on restoring rivers across eight divisions, she aims to create a model of sustainable river management during the interim government rule. Additionally, she has reached out to the US for support in addressing pollution in the Buriganga River.
This is definitely a positive step by the interim government, yet the issue goes beyond mere pollution. The current state of rivers in Bangladesh represents a deep socio-cultural injustice to millions who live along them. Restoration efforts must not only focus on environmental sustainability but also address the long-standing exploitation of rivers, ensuring justice for riparian communities as a key part of the ongoing reforms taking place in Bangladesh 2.0.
The terms — Bangladesh 2.0 or New Bangladesh – surfaced following the August 5 ouster of the previous government accused of autocratic rule in the pretext of democracy, before leaving a trail of destruction in every sector, including inland waterways.
Fading riverine culture, heritage
Bangladesh has historically been celebrated for its rivers, and the nation’s literature and music have always been influenced by them. Rivers have served as inspiration, from the patriotic poetry of Michael Madhusudan Dutta’s “Kapataksha Nod” to the folk songs like Bhatiali and Sari that express the love for the rivers or lament the hardships they bring. Even in Nazrul Geeti, poet Kazi Nazrul Islam depicts rivers as forces of nature that both destroy and renew, as in his song “Ekul Bhange Okul Gare (The River of Fate).”
Some of the popular novels on riverine societies are ‘Padma Nadir Majhi (River Padma’s Boatman)’, ‘Titas Ekti Nodir Naam (Titas is a River)’, ‘Kando Nodi Kando (Cry River, Cry)’ and so on. The authors artistically portrayed how every cultural expression, societal setting, and socio-political struggles are shaped by the rivers in the riparian communities.
Unfortunately, the history of Bengal and independent Bangladesh had long witnessed the destruction of waterways. We rarely can connect to our proud culture of “mach-e bhaat-e Bangali” (Bangalis living on fish and rice) now. Massive industrialisation since British rule in the name of development and protection of the ‘people and property’ from the wildness of rivers has immensely been affecting our fish and food cultivation. Added to the woes are the mindless irregularities, land and river encroachment, sand lifting, and indiscriminate pollution for the last 16 years. These have further exacerbated the sufferings of the riparian people.
Excessive exploitation is now disappearing rivers both as a source of natural and cultural commons. So, today we rarely enjoy artists, authors, and poets celebrating the beauties and virtues of rivers in their arts and literature like the pre-colonial period in Bengal.
Crucial use of rivers in national events
Rivers were also pivotal during Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War, when freedom fighters used guerrilla tactics along the waterways to resist the West Pakistani Army. Rivers were once again significant on August 5, when citizens gathered along river routes to defy a government order and reach Dhaka to participate in the mass uprising led by students.
Launch terminals remained very crowded since early morning on that day as masses in large groups from different districts relied on riverine transports to come to Dhaka to bring in the country’s “second independence”.
How the disruption unfolded
Traditional waterway vehicles were once indispensable for riparian communities. Until 1850s, waterways connected all parts of Bengal, and people often lived on boats, embracing the dynamic river landscape.
Even in 1875, people were relying extensively on riverine traffic in the 24 Parganas and Jessore districts connecting the entire Bengal. A large number of riverine people used to live on boats as they were habituated to the dynamism of the ever-shifting water landscape.
The Afghan and Mughal emperors shifted their capitals based on the changing local and regional significance of annexed water bodies. The culmination point of the Bengal delta remained the capital holding geo-strategically important places for 426 years under the Afghans and the Mughals.
Strategic cities, like Dhaka, were chosen for their proximity to important rivers, and the last Nawab of Bengal used the Ganges to fight British forces in the 1757 Battle of Plassey, locally known as Palashi (in Bangla). However, colonial projects like railway expansion and the Permanent Settlement Act, which ignored the delta’s natural shifts, significantly disrupted traditional riverine life.
Later, during the Cold War era, the World Bank and IMF funded major embankment projects in the 1960s and 1990s that, while aimed at flood control, ended up blocking natural water flows and damaging ecosystems. Riparian communities, who once relied on monsoon floods to rejuvenate their lands, were left with clogged rivers and rising water tables inside embankments. From 1981 to 1993, around 728,000 people were displaced due to riverbank erosion. With climate change, nearly 50 million more could be displaced by 2050.
Towards sustainable river restoration
In order to truly restore Bangladesh’s rivers, all forms of injustice towards riparian communities must be addressed, engaging locals in every step of the process.
How are these communities fighting for river justice? How has poverty affected them as rivers have deteriorated? What traditions, customs, and knowledge have been lost along with the rivers? These issues need to be heard and included in policy-making.
Reviving Bangladesh’s rivers is not just an environmental concern; it’s essential for the socio-cultural and economic well-being of the nation. By working together, the government and citizens can protect and restore rivers not only for ecological health but also to preserve the rich heritage that makes Bangladesh’s rivers the heart of its identity.
References:
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