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Life Along a 'Dead' River in Bangladesh: The Devastation of the Buriganga

Pollution from industrial and human waste threatens livelihoods and the environment.

The Buriganga river, once a lifeline for communities in Dhaka, is now heavily polluted and devoid of life due to the widespread dumping of industrial and human waste. With hardly any fish left, locals like Nurul Islam, who used to earn a living by fishing in the river, now sell street food to make ends meet. 

The ecological decline of the river is exacerbated by the booming garment industry, with untreated sewage and chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flowing into the river daily. Despite government regulations, enforcement is lacking, and the river is on the brink of ecological disaster. On Earth Day, citizens and environmental activists call for urgent action to protect the environment and revive the dying Buriganga river.

“The once-fresh and mighty river Buriganga is now on the verge of dying because of the rampant dumping of industrial and human waste,” said Sharif Jamil of environment group the Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon. “There is no fish or aquatic life in this river during the dry season. We call it biologically dead.”

Tags

earthday, pollution, burigangariver, ecologicaldecline, bangladesh, english, highlight

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