The dumping of garbage by Mymensingh municipal authorities into the Old Brahmaputra River at Kalibari Puran Gudaraghat has become a menace for residents and a serious threat to the river's health.

Household garbage dumping into the already dying river has been going on for eight years now, affecting the quality of life of around 1,400 families living in adjacent residential areas and slums.

The 283-kilometre Old Brahmaputra from Jamalpur's Dewanganj upazila to the Meghna in Bhairab of Kishoreganj is one of the  longest rivers of the country, said Md Shamsudduha, sub-divisional engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board, Mymensingh.

Many tributaries and small rivers dependent on the Brahmaputra are also in existence crisis due to siltation, said the official.

The once mighty river was 12 to 14 kilometres wide at different points but now it has reduced to 100 to 200 metres, he added.

Md Julhash Uddin, a businessman and secretary of the Awami League local ward, said they protested several times. “We informed the concerned authorities to take steps to put an end to this health hazard.”

Following protests by locals, the garbage carrying trucks are not seen during the day anymore. The trucks visit the area at night now, he added.

News reports on this menace come up in different dailies and television channels, but no one pays heed, said Abdul Motaleb, a local businessman.

On the other side of the Brahmaputra Bridge lies the dedicated spot for garbage dumping -- Moilakanda at Char Kalibari.

But truck drivers avoid the bridge for traffic congestion, which may take up to two hours to cross, and prefer to dump at the Old Ferry Ghat instead, added Motalab.

 “As with previous years, the stench will be the worst during Eid-ul-Azha next month, when the waste from the sacrificial animals will be dumped.”

With students also being badly affected, Shakibul Islam, an eighth grader from the area, said the pungent odour is most unbearable in the dry, summer months.

 “We find it difficult to commute in the vicinity as the breeze carries the strong smells afar,” said Limu Akhter, a student of grade six.

Md Ramu Mia, who ran a tea-stall near the highway, had to shut down his business as customers were driven away by the foul smells. “Who would want to take a break and have a cup of tea in this environment?”

Taking advantage of the situation, many residents in the area are dumping their own household waste into the river instead of the allocated garbage disposal spots on the streets, say onlookers.

Advocate Shibbir Ahmed Liton, secretary of 'Mymensingh Poribesh Rokhha O Unnayan Andolon' said they submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner of Mymensingh and municipality mayor on several occasions to curb this environmental peril, but to no avail.

 “The polluted river water pose serious health hazards,” added Liton.

Mayor of Mymensingh Municipality Ekramul Haque Titu said truck drivers may have dumped garbage in the riverbed due to heavy traffic in the Shambhuganj Bridge area.

“The truck drivers were cautioned against doing so. I will ask the officials concerned to monitor it seriously,” said the mayor.

Mohabbat Ali, conservation inspector of Mymensingh municipality, said around 150 tonnes of garbage is produced in the municipality in a day. But he denied knowing anything about dumping it into the river.

“We will investigate the matter,” he told this correspondent.

Nur Alam, deputy director of the Department of Environment in Mymensingh, also expressed serious concern.