The Save the River Movement Bangladesh (Nodi Bachao Andolon) has demanded the renewal of the Ganges water-sharing treaty with a guarantee clause, implementation of the Padma Barrage and Teesta projects by March 2027, and a nationwide programme to dredge and restore 20,000 kilometres of rivers and canals.
The demands were raised at a human chain and citizens’ rally organised by the movement in Dhaka on Saturday, chaired by its central president, Professor Md Anwar Sadat. Among others, central vice-presidents Dr SM Shafiqul Islam Kanu, Dr Md Lutfor Rahman, Dr Mohsin Ali Mondal Prince and Mihir Biswas; joint secretaries Professor Dr Iftekharul Alam Masud, Md Tajul Islam, and Dr Borhan Aranya; organising secretary Kalimullah Iqbal, biodiversity secretary Khandaker Hasibur Rahman; Dhaka metropolitan president Mohosinul Karim Lebu; Gazipur district president Professor Mohammad Shafiqul Islam; Narayanganj district president Zaman Bhuiyan; and central members Md Azam Khan, Abdul Halim Sarker, Md Anwar Hossain, Abdul Malek, Shamim Mohammad, Abdul Alim, Sirajul Islam Nannu, Ali Azam Sumon, Shahriar Azim Sujon and Md Mizanur Rahman Khan, among others attended the rally.
Speakers said the renewal of the 30-year Ganges water-sharing treaty, signed between Bangladesh and India in 1996 and due to expire in December this year, must ensure Bangladesh’s fair and predictable share of water. They urged the government to complete the renewal process with provisions guaranteeing water availability, citing the 1977 Ganges water-sharing agreement as a precedent.
They stressed that the new treaty should safeguard Bangladesh’s agricultural, environmental, energy, economic and food security. They also called for a long-term understanding between the two countries on equitable water-sharing arrangements for their transboundary rivers.
According to the speakers, Bangladesh and India share 221 rivers, although official figures identify 54 common rivers, highlighting the need for comprehensive cooperation in managing shared water resources.
The movement urged the government to implement the Padma Barrage and Teesta projects by March 2027, in line with its election pledges. Speakers said the projects should prioritise sustainable water management, irrigation, energy generation, economic viability and food security.
They also called for exploring similar initiatives on other major transboundary rivers to improve water storage, expand irrigation and strengthen the country’s resilience to drought.
Welcoming the government’s initiative to dredge and restore 20,000 kilometres of rivers and canals, the speakers said the programme could help raise groundwater levels, develop reservoirs of safe drinking water and improve irrigation facilities.
However, they warned that dredging alone would not ensure sustainable river restoration without addressing illegal occupation and pollution.
The movement demanded immediate legal action against nearly 60,000 river grabbers identified by the National River Conservation Commission and called for the eviction of illegal occupants from riverbanks and waterways.
It also urged the government to identify industries and other establishments polluting rivers and enforce the installation of effluent treatment plants (ETPs) to prevent untreated waste from entering waterways.
Referring to the government’s recognition of 2,413 rivers and waterways as living entities, speakers called for recovering occupied river areas, protecting aquatic ecosystems and ensuring that restoration efforts begin on the ground during the dry season.
The programme concluded with a call for the government to translate its commitments to river conservation and water security into concrete action.