Online Desk  :   Brigadier General (Retd) Dr. M Sakhawat Hossain, Advisor to the Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry of Labor and Employment said steps will be taken to make the Buriganga River pollution-free in the winter season. He said this at an awareness seminar on determining the number of rivers in Bangladesh initiated by the Ministry of Water Resources at the Pani Bhaban in the capital on Tuesday. The shipping advisor said steps will be taken to make the Buriganga River pollution-free this winter season. The shipping ministry will provide the necessary manpower and equipment. He also said that the local administration should take more responsibility to protect the river. Unplanned city drains should be closed.

Advisor Sakhawat said, “Bangladesh is a country of many rivers. The people of this country are directly and indirectly dependent on rivers. Its high time we saved the river. If we do it at another time, a conflict of interest may arise.” Stressing the need for all ministries and departments to take coordinated initiatives to save the rivers, he further said, “There has been an unprecedented level of river pollution. Buriganga River and other major rivers have lost their navigability. It is now the demand of time to restore the navigability of the rivers through planned dredging.”