Dhaka, August 13, 2026 - Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo has called for coordinated and effective action by all relevant government agencies, industries and stakeholders to control pollution in the Buriganga and Turag rivers and their connected canals around Dhaka.
He made the call on Thursday at a stakeholder consultation held at the Department of Environment’s conference room in Agargaon to discuss measures to control pollution caused by industrial effluent, sewage and other waste discharged into the Buriganga, Turag and their connected canals.
The minister stressed the need for cooperation from industrial owners to make the rivers surrounding Dhaka pollution-free. He said industries must install and properly operate Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) to ensure that untreated wastewater does not enter rivers or canals.
“Businesspeople have a responsibility to create wealth for the country. At the same time, while expanding industries and factories, we must also pay attention to environmental pollution,” he said, stressing that initiatives would not be sustainable without coordinated efforts.
Representatives of the country’s leading business organisations, including the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), raised various challenges faced by industries at the meeting.
In response, Environment, Forest and Climate Change State Minister Sheikh Faridul Islam said the government would consider establishing centralised ETP facilities. He also said harassment of businesspeople without valid grounds would not be tolerated.
The government will also seek to reduce or eliminate import duties on chemicals used in ETPs, he added.
Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary A B M Abdus Sattar, speaking as a special guest, said transforming the Buriganga into a river like the Thames is a vision of the Prime Minister.
“If everyone works together, it is possible to develop the Buriganga, Turag and Shitalakshya along the lines of London’s Thames,” he said.
He stressed that efforts should focus not only on cleaning the Buriganga but also on preventing pollution entering the Turag from upstream areas.
He also said plans are underway to construct suspension bridges over the river at Gabtoli and Ashulia. Ships will also be operated on the river to provide recreational opportunities for tourists.
At the meeting, the Bangladesh Navy presented a comprehensive action plan and implementation roadmap for controlling pollution in the Buriganga.
The presentation said the Prime Minister has directed the formation of a central cell led by the Principal Secretary to coordinate implementation of the action plan for controlling Buriganga pollution.
According to the information presented at the meeting, a total of 224 sources of waste discharge have been identified along the Buriganga and Turag rivers. Of these, 166 are located along the Buriganga and 58 along the Turag. The identified sources are linked to private industries, Dhaka WASA, city corporations, local government institutions and other agencies.
The meeting emphasised preparing source-based inventories of industrial waste, ensuring the installation and proper operation of effective ETPs at industrial facilities, identifying and closing unauthorised drains, and removing waste from canals and drains to restore normal water flow.
The action plan also includes medium- and long-term initiatives to establish Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), ETPs and Waste-to-Energy plants at appropriate locations alongside canals and drainage systems.
Participants stressed the need to implement a coordinated action plan to shut down all sources of industrial and other waste discharge, remove accumulated waste from canals and drains, restore water flow and clear long-standing waste from the riverbeds.
The meeting was attended by Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr Fahmida Khanam; Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources T. AKM Shahabuddin; Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment Md Abdur Rahman Talukder; Rajuk Chairman (Secretary) Engineer Md Riazul Islam; Additional Secretary of the Climate Change Wing of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Director General (Routine Charge) of the Department of Environment Mohammad Navid Shafiullah.
Leaders of FBCCI, BGMEA and BKMEA, senior officials from relevant ministries and agencies, representatives of environmental organisations and local government institutions, as well as journalists from print, electronic and online media, also attended the meeting.
