Massive cleanliness drive launched to restore navigability, curb encroachment and create public-friendly spaces along historic waterway

MM Rahmatullah: A massive cleanliness campaign has begun at the Durani canal and adjoining areas in Dhaka as part of a fresh government initiative to revive the Old Buriganga channel, a historic waterway that has long been struggling under pollution, illegal encroachment and waste dumping.

The seven-kilometre waterway near Kamrangirchar and Rasulpur has been a vital part of the area`s natural drainage and water system. But years of indiscriminate dumping and encroachment have turned several sections of the channel into virtual garbage dumps, obstructing the normal flow of water and causing serious problems for residents.

The Dhaka district administration and volunteer-based youth organisation BD Clean jointly launched the cleanliness drive today. The initiative follows a directive from the Prime Minister to State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam to take steps to revive the channel after removing accumulated waste.

The government plans to combine several measures—including re-excavation, eviction of illegal occupants and dredging—to restore the waterway`s navigability. Plans are also in place to develop modern civic walkways and beautify both sides of the channel so that the waterway can eventually serve as an environment-friendly and public-friendly space.

Before the drive began, the state minister administered an oath to stakeholders, including members of BD Clean, pledging to keep canals and waterways free from pollution and encroachment.

Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator M Abdus Salam, Dhaka-7 lawmaker Hamidur Rahman and Dhaka Deputy Commissioner Farida Khanam, among others, attended the programme.

Around 1,000 feet of the 3.2-kilometre Old Buriganga channel, particularly around the Durani Bridge area, has reportedly been used for waste dumping. Other sections have also been affected by encroachment and pollution.

As the water flow has gradually been obstructed, local residents have been facing a range of problems, including foul odours, mosquito infestation and waterlogging. What was once an important water channel has therefore become a source of environmental and public-health concerns.

Experts attribute part of the decline in the channel`s natural water flow to the construction of the Dhaka flood-control embankment, commonly known as the Beribadh, in the early 1990s. The embankment was built to protect western and northern parts of Dhaka from seasonal river flooding, but changes to the area`s water system subsequently affected the flow of the Old Buriganga channel.

The ongoing campaign is not limited to removing waste. Authorities are also conducting awareness activities among residents, urging them not to throw household or other waste into the canal or its surrounding areas.

Once the initial cleanliness operation is completed, authorities intend to undertake further work to restore the channel`s navigability. The plans include dredging and re-excavation, along with measures to prevent renewed encroachment.

According to Dhaka South City Corporation sources, both banks of the channel will eventually be beautified, while civic walkways will be constructed to provide local people with space for walking, recreation and community activities.

If implemented properly, the initiative could bring multiple benefits to the densely populated neighbourhoods surrounding the waterway. A functioning canal could improve drainage, reduce waterlogging, help control pollution and create a healthier urban environment.

Inaugurating the cleanliness drive, State Minister Mir Shahe Alam stressed that keeping canals and rivers free from waste is essential for protecting both the environment and public health.

He praised the joint initiative of the Dhaka district administration and BD Clean and expressed hope that the programme would be completed successfully and bring benefits to local residents.

However, cleaning the waterway will only be the first step. Authorities will face an equally important challenge in preventing the channel from becoming polluted and encroached upon again.

The Dhaka district administration has said it will maintain surveillance after the clean-up to prevent renewed encroachment and pollution. Regular monitoring, strict enforcement against illegal dumping and encroachment, and active participation by local communities will be crucial to the project`s long-term success.

The revival of the Old Buriganga is therefore more than a cleanliness campaign. It is an opportunity to restore a piece of Dhaka`s environmental and historical heritage and return a neglected waterway to the people who live beside it. If the planned measures are carried through consistently, the once-polluted channel could gradually emerge as a cleaner, healthier and more attractive part of the capital.