“Dhaleshwari River’s aquatic life, biodiversity destroyed due to Savar tannery”

Department of Environment (DoE) today (July 17, 2022) placed grave statistics before a parliamentary committee on the sorry state of Dhaleshwari River stating that the aquatic life and biodiversity of the river was destroyed due to unbridled pollution caused by the Savar Tannery Industrial Estate.

DoE at a meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on environment, forest, and climate change ministry said the minimum level of oxygen of Dhaleshwari River should remain 200mg/per litre. However, the oxygen level in this river's water is two to three times less than the permissible limit.

The meeting was held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban with ruling Awami League MP Saber Hossain Chowdhury in the chair.

After the meeting, Saber Hossain said not only oxygen level, the amount of metal chromium in Dhaleshwari River is also much higher than the permissible level.

Citing statistics of DoE, Saber Hossain, a lawmaker from Dhaka-9 (Khilgaon-Shajahanpur), said the permissible level of metal in the water is 2mg/per litre. But the amount of chromium in Dhaleshwari River is 5 to 7 mg/per litre.

"And all these are taking place due to huge pollution caused by the Savar Tannery Industrial Estate," he added.

"Due to this unbridled pollution, fisheries and biodiversity of Dhaleshwari River has been destroyed and if river pollution continues at present level, this river is going to embrace the fate of Buriganga River," warned Saber, a popular voice for environment protection.

The parliamentary body chief said, DoE came up with the statistics following its research on the water of Dhaleshwari River in July.

The parliamentary watchdog in its meeting gave three to six months' time to the Industries Ministry for taking measures to bring all the industry units in the tannery industry under central effluent treatment plant.

"In case of failure, we have asked the environment ministry to take measures to sever electricity connection to the respective industry units," added Saber Hossain.