Bhairab struggles for survival

GBNEWS24DESK//

Due to the mindless dumping of waste, rampant river-grabbing by influential persons and reluctance of authorities to take appropriate steps, Bhairab river — one of the major waterbodies of the country — continues to suffer.

Both sides of the river’s 37-km stretch — from Rupsha ghat of Khulna city to Nowapara Bazar ghat of Jashore’s Avaynagar — have fallen victim to encroachers, who are turning the river into a canal and reducing its navigability.

These grabbers have built business establishments, factories, jute mills and depots, chemical industries, jetties, tanneries, and sand and coal selling centres by the rivers.

There are about 350 industrial units in the region. Among them, 230, including 54 jute mills, four power-plants, soybean mills, 22 shrimp processing units and cement factories, are on the riverbank.