The National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways (NCPSRR) on Sunday demanded the immediate removal of all structures, including dockyards, built on the banks of River Buriganga.

Mohammad Shahid Mia, president of the organisation and its general secretary Ashis Kumar Dey made the appeal in a statement to the Ministry of Shipping and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).

Citing the information published in the media, the statement of the civic organisation says that there are 27 dockyards (ship building and repair factories) in an area of about one and a half kilometers up to Telghat in Char Kaliganj on the bank between Shubhadhya Canal and Buriganga River in South Keraniganj Upazila.

These dockyards have been built illegally inside the rivers. However, according to the verdict of the High Court, the construction of any kind of structure in the spaces of the river is prohibited.

In the statement, the National Committee says that due to the construction of dockyards between the boundary pillars of the Buriganga, a large amount of solid and liquid waste is constantly falling into the river. The water of Buriganga is getting seriously polluted. Besides, the width of the river is decreasing due to obstruction of water flow. The leaders of the committee complained that hundreds of illegal structures have been built in the places of important rivers like Dhaka’s Buriganga across the country.

It is alleged in the statement that the rivers are not being free from illegal occupation due to the indifference, negligence and dishonesty of a section of officers and employees of the BIWTA, Water Development Board, Department of Environment, Local Government Engineering Department and district and upazila administration.