Tarail (Kishorganj) Correspondent

In front of the old Dak Bangla office in Tarail Upazila of Kishoreganj, the river is being filled up next to Freedom Fighter Abul Kalam Azad Road. This is endangering the reservoir.

There are many wetlands in Bangladesh like rivers and canals and canals.

About 7 to 8 lakh hectares of land in the country is covered by wetlands in one way or another. But the level of these fillings is increasing day by day. This is disrupting the balance of nature, biodiversity conservation and the city.

On Sunday (May 26) in the capital, the issue of reservoir conservation came up again in a discussion titled 'What to do to protect our agriculture, nature, wetlands and prevent river encroachment'. The speakers said that the politically influential people occupy rivers, forests and wetlands. They have laws, but no enforcement. According to the data of Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), 42 thousand acres of agricultural land and water bodies are being filled every year across the count.

From 1999 to 2010, an average of 5,757 acres of wetlands were filled every year. This has resulted in long-term negative impacts on the people and biodiversity that depend on wetlands. Rivers, canals, banks, ponds etc. play a major role in protecting the balance and biodiversity of the environment. In addition, wetlands are very important in keeping the surrounding air cool, preventing flooding in monsoon season, reducing waterlogging in cities, meeting water needs and cleaning garbage. According to section 5 of the Natural Waters Conservation Act-2000, the classification of places designated as playgrounds, open spaces, parks and natural water bodies cannot be changed. Besides, such space cannot be used, rented, leased or transferred in any other way. Section 8(1) of the same Act states that anyone who violates the provisions of this Act shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding 50,000 rupees. Besides, there is also a provision to punish with higher penalty. Sections 8(2) and 8(3) provide for punishment for such imprisonment and reinstatement at own expense. In view of a writ dated May 6, 2014, the High Court directed the government to take necessary measures to protect all canals, playgrounds and parks in the country. Besides, according to the instructions of the Prime Minister, there should be at least two playgrounds in each ward. The occupation of playgrounds is going on at the government and private level by showing thumbs up to all kinds of laws and court orders.

Besides, the festival of encroachment and pollution of rivers and canals is going on all over the country. The rivers and canals of the country are now dying due to overgrazing and encroachment and pollution. Many rivers-canals-reservoirs are on the way to disappearing. Rivers-canals-reservoirs are being used as and when required. The influential people are enjoying the festival of filling and occupying. The whole country has become a hostile country with rivers, canals and reservoirs. Losing wetlands one by one means deliberately causing damage to the country. Therefore, the existing laws should be enforced to protect wetlands. It is the government's responsibility to protect reservoirs. Conservation, development and management of wetlands should be seriously considered at local, regional and national levels.