Stop discharging wastes into rivers: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today urged all, particularly mills and factories, to stop discharging wastes into rivers as water pollution has appeared to be a severe problem for the country.

"I would like to request you all to stop discharging wastes into rivers...every industrial unit will have to have waste management system so that it doesn't pollute rivers," she said adding that sea and river pollution has turned to be a global problem.

The prime minister made this call while addressing a function organised by Water Resources Ministry at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city, marking the World Water Day 2019.

Sheikh Hasina stressed the need for keeping regular dredging works to keep up the river-water flow for addressing the protracted river-erosion problem.

"This is essential to dredge our rivers regularly for maintaining their water flow and enhancing their water-holding capacities and thus turn this problem (river erosion) into blessings," she said.

Now the Water Resources Ministry has 22 dredgers, while Shipping Ministry and Bangladesh Navy have 44 other dredgers. "The procurement of 80 more dredgers is underway," she said.

"I think that this is essential to have a dredger for each large river and river port to carry out dredging works for keeping river routes operational," she added.

Chaired by State Minister for Water Resources Zaheed Farooque, the function was addressed, among others, by Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources Ministry Ramesh Chandra Sen and Deputy Minister for Water Resources AKM Enamul Hoque Shameem.

Water Resources Secretary Kabir Bin Anwar delivered the welcome speech at the event.

The theme of this year World Water Day is 'Leaving No One Behind', which is also the main theme of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).