Ensuring accountability of government agencies in-charge of conserving rivers, empowering National River Conservation Commission (NRCC), enhancing the institutional capacity, and executing concerned laws with political commitment are some of the essential factors to save the country’s rivers, speakers in a roundtable discussion have said.

The High Court today observes that the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) is the concerned authority to control and stop 68 underground drains and sewerage lines connected to Buriganga River.

A peaking power plant in Hathazari has been ordered to suspend operation after officials found that it had been polluting the Halda river.

The power plant of Chattogram responsible for releasing untreated furnace oil to a nearby water body that connects to the Halda river is fined Tk 20 lakh for damaging the environment.