Habiganj's Sutang River is now dying. The river is under serious threat due to long non-dredging and dumping of industrial effluents. River fishes are dying due to water poisoning.
Rivers, canals, beel, and reservoirs have become depleted of fish. Local fishermen have become unemployed. On the other hand, due to the use of foul-smelling toxic water in agriculture, the land's crops are being destroyed.
Locals said the factories were built unplanned in Alipur of the district. Polluted effluents from factories are being dumped into the Sutang River. Most of the industry factories set up here do not have the required Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP). Companies that have ETPs are not running regularly for fear of additional costs. By keeping them closed, the factory waste is being dumped in the Sutang River.
There is no monitoring in this regard by the officials of the Department of Environment. On this occasion, the waste of 30-35 factories in the Alipur industrial area is being dumped in this river. There are many villages of several unions including Bulla, Karab, Lukra, Nurpur, and Rajiura along the river bank. As a result, agriculture, health, and daily life of these villages have been severely affected. Besides, a humanitarian crisis has arisen.
Local farmers said that about 10,000 hectares of paddy land in Lakhai upazila are cultivated using Sutang river water. Due to the lack of river water, farmers have to suffer every year to cultivate. Paddy production is disrupted.
Professor of the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Dr. Zahirul Haque Shakeel said, 5 rivers of Habiganj including Sutang have become completely endangered. This industrialization and growth is for people. But this development is now harming people. The river water has turned black. Frogs are floating dead in the river water.
According to sources, the Sutang River is a cross-border river of Bangladesh-India. It has a length of 82 km and an average width of 36 m. The Sutang River originates from the hilly region of the Indian state of Tripura. Later it entered Bangladesh through Chunarughat Upazila of Habiganj District. Then it joins the Kalni River in Lakhai Upazila.
ARS
