Buriganga suffering, Dhaleshwari worse off

The water quality of the Buriganga continues to be poor even though it has been almost five years since the tanneries from the capital's Hazaribagh area were relocated to an estate in Hemayetpur of Savar.  

The shift to Hemayetpur, meanwhile, has seen the Dhaleshwari river in an even poorer state as it bears the brunt of the toxic substances emitted by rawhide processing. 

The grim scenario of both rivers was revealed in a joint study by the geography and environment department of Jahangirnagar University, environmental science department of Stamford University and Waterkeepers, Bangladesh. The study was released yesterday.

The tanneries were moved to Hemayetpur in April, 2017 following a High Court order.

Even though the tanneries are no longer near the Buriganga, pollution from rawhide processing and other factors continue to cause deterioration of its water quality, the study found.

The tannery estate in Hemayetpur is upstream of the Dhaleshwari, and the resultant pollution in the river also streams into the Buriganga, meaning the latter is still affected.

There are also dozens of micro-level rawhide processing units still being operated in Hazaribagh, Nurul Islam, one of the authors of the study and a professor of geography and environment department at Jahangirnagar University, told The Daily Star.

Apart from this, the plying of thousands of vessels, presence of dyeing factories at Shyampur and sewerage is adversely affecting the water quality of the Buriganga, he said, adding that the condition of the Dhaleshwari is far more devastating due to tannery waste.

There were 210 rawhide processing units in Hazaribagh in 2017, of which 170 were moved to Hemayetpur, said ABM Masud, executive member of Bangladesh Tannery Association. Of the units shifted to Hemayetpur, 110 are currently operational, he added.

The study team took samples from four points of the rivers during pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon and analysed the data based on six indicators -- biological oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solid (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia, oil and grease, pH level and phenol.

It followed the Canadian Council of Ministries of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCME), a method widely followed in North America.

The CCME model assesses water quality by assigning scores out of 100. A score of 0-40 is categorised as poor quality, 45-64 is marginal, 65-79 fair and 80-100 is excellent.

In the six indicators, Dhaleshwari scored 27.06 and Buriganga 39.39.

In the pre-monsoon sample of the Dhaleshwari, BOD had reached 800 mg per litre, indicating substances coming from the tannery estate, the study said. The sample taken from Hazaribagh along the Buriganga in the same period showed a BOD of 200 mg per litre -- consistent with standard levels.

Eliasur Rahman Babul, senior vice-president of Bangladesh Tanners Association, said the new site at Hemayetpur does not have enough space. He said it is spread over 200 acres, but they need around double that to properly manage waste.

Lambasting the failure of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) to complete the industrial zone, he said all they need is cooperation from the government to comply with environmental guidelines.

On November 29, 2021, the parliamentary standing committee on the environment ministry recommended that the estate in Hemayetpur be shut down as it has been running without environmental clearance for the last 10 years and lacks the facilities to treat all its liquid waste.

Sharif Jamil, general secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) said they do not want the tannery industry to shut down.

"If we want a solution and to save the rivers, we all have to come forward with a positive mindset. We would like to cooperate with tannery owners in this regard," he said.