80pc capital sewage dumped into rivers
Satff Correspondent
About 80 percent sewage is released untreated in rivers flowing by the capital and if the trend continues sewage will virtually replace water in the rivers within a few years.Participants expressed this concern at a discussion on "Urbanisation and Environment" yesterday. They said only 20 percent sewage is released after treatment and that Dhaka needs a waste and sewage disposal plant on an emergency basis. Otherwise, the capital will be the second most polluted city in the world in 2015, one participant said. State Minister for Housing and Public Works Alamgir Kabir was the chief guest at the discussion organised by Coalition of Local NGOs, Bangladesh (CLNB) and held at the Jatiya Press Club. Kabir said civilisation originated near the rivers and Bangladesh is known to the world as a riverine country. But there is an unhealthy trend of illegally grabbing rivers, canals, lakes and other water bodies, hastening their destruction. He stressed a public agitation to protect environment. AKM Khorshed Alam, advisor of the CLNB presented a paper on environmental issues. Speakers included the environment and forest secretary and Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon General Secretary Abu Naser Khan.
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