Motiar Rahman Modhu, Satkhira Correspondent
Illegal settlement on river banks, fish farming, Farakka dam, construction of unplanned bridge, and sluice gate-dam, and exploitation of rivers by occupying river islands (also known as chars) 27 small and big rivers in coastal district of Satkhira are now in existential crisis. The tide has stopped flowing in these rivers. Geographically, some rivers in Khulna and Jashore areas have already died. Although the rivers continued to flow for the first decade after independence, it began to die out in the eighties. As a result, lack of drainage is causing waterlogging in the monsoon season. According to two research reports, 158 rivers in the country have dried up in the last 57 years. In the last 21 years (from 2000 to 2021), 43 rivers in the country have dried up, according to a survey conducted by a long-running non-governmental development organization in the southwestern part of the country. The death of the river is not going to be stopped due to the construction and occupation of coastal embankments and various infrastructures in the river.

Shahidul Islam, director of Uttaran, said the fast flowing rivers like Betna, Shalikha, Shalita, Hamkura, Chuna and Hatitana flowing over the south-western lane have now dried up and turned into settlements. Due to unplanned construction of coastal embankments, the river is drying up. As a result, food shortages will increase exponentially and the world’s biodiversity will be threatened.

Due to siltation, withdrawal of water from river banks in the upstream, indiscriminate occupation, etc., have endangered the existence of numerous rivers in the country. Apart from this, houses, shops, brick kilns and agricultural farms have been built in the rivers and towns built on the banks of 27 rivers in the Sundarbans and the adjacent area of Satkhira district. One such ramification of these activities is that tides have stopped in most of the rivers except a few rivers of the district. It goes without saying that there are 27 small and big rivers including Kapotaksha, Betna, Kakshiali, Kholpetua, Kalindi, Marichchap, Jamuna, Sonai, Balua, Galgheshia, Gutiakhali and Sapmara and a few decades ago big water locomotives, steamers, and boats used to sail on these rivers. At that time there were strong tides and floods in the rivers but now it is like a dead canal.

According to sources, the main cause of death of rivers in Satkhira is unplanned sluice gate installation by the Water Development Board and illegal occupation by influential people in collaboration with the administration. In addition to the coastal dam project, 46 bridges built over the river are one of the leading causes of the death of the rivers. According to the concerned sources, 28 of them cannot be called rivers anymore.

Moreover, the bottom of 50 rivers has lost its drainage capacity due to excessive siltation and illegal occupation. The Betna River has lost its navigability and turned into a dead canal. In the meantime, the government has taken up the digging project in the mighty Kopatakkho river at a cost of BDT 261 crore 54 lakh 83 thousand. But all these are in vain as there are no more tides like before.

Somehow the river survives like a dead canal. Although Marichchap and Jamuna were excavated along the Betna river, it did not return to its former condition due to illegal occupation. Betna River or Betna-Kodalia River is a transboundary river of Bangladesh and India.

This river flows through Jhenaidah, Jashore and Satkhira districts. The length of the river is 191 kilometers, the average width is 55 meters but now the river is just going to be a memory. The water flow in the river has now completely stopped.

It is claimed that the river has become worse than before after the excavation. As a result, the implementation of the budget of hundreds of crores of public money taken by the government in the name of river dredging is in question! There have been allegations of turning canals by digging rivers and turning drains by digging canals. Stakeholders claim that the government cannot waste people’s money in this way. A 13-point proposal has been sent to the government for the development of drainage systems in Satkhira city and adjoining areas.

01. The demands include re-connecting the Ichhamati River with the Marichchap River by removing the Shakhra-Ticket at the two mouths of Lavanyavati and the removal of the Haraddha-Kamalkati sluice gate at the two mouths of the Sapmara or by constructing an embankment along the side of the sluice gate to connect the two rivers directly. 02. In order to reconnect the Betna river with the Pransayar canal flowing through Satkhira city, the Khejurdangi-sluice gate and to re-connect the Marichchap river, the Ellerchar-sluice gate (now non-existent) should be removed or an alternative channel should be created by cutting the embankment on the side. 03.

All barriers on both sides of Kolkata canal and Srirampur-Bakal canal have to be removed. 04. The embankments of Lavanyavati, Sapmara, Marichchap, Kolkata canal and Srirampur-Bankal canal should be raised and strengthened where necessary and the sluice gates at the mouth of the beel drainage canal should be repaired before the water flow of Ichhamati can be restored. 05. Boundary pillars have to be set up by demarcating and removing illegal structures as per the CS map of all the rivers and canals under the project. People need to be involved in mapping river canals. 06. All the soil for digging river canals under the project should be deposited outside the boundaries of river canals. Under no circumstances can rivers or river banks be filled by dumping in rivers and canals. 07.

Adequate rainwater drainage systems should be set up in rural and urban areas to create designated zones for fish farming. 08. The interconnection of other rivers outside the project including re-connection of Betna river with Shalikha river needs to be re-established. 09. Once the flow of Ichhamati river is confirmed, Lavanyavati, Sapmara, Kolkata canal, Srirampur-Bankal canal, Marichchap and Kholpetua rivers will return to normal without dredging. 10. TRM should be introduced at convenient places of rivers and canals in Ichhamati water. 11. Monitoring arrangements need to be made for river canal excavation areas. 12. A technical advisory group needs to be formed for the project. 13. The decision to cancel the lease of all river canals has to be implemented.