Prime Minister Tarique Rahman issued a stern warning regarding the severe contamination of the capital’s water bodies on Thursday, ordering relevant agencies to implement rigorous and synchronized actions to safeguard the Buriganga and adjacent rivers.

Addressing a high-level conference on the "Improvement of Water and Environment of the Buriganga River" at the Secretariat's Cabinet Division conference room, the premier stated, "River pollution has now reached an unbearable stage. If we fail to take effective measures now, we will have to answer to future generations."

According to PM’s Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Shadhin, the Prime Minister mandated the swift drafting and execution of an all-encompassing strategy aimed at reviving the rivers enclosing Dhaka.

Quoting the premier, Shadhin stated, “There is no room for negligence in taking strict and coordinated steps to prevent pollution. Alongside preparing the action plan, its effective implementation must also be ensured.”

During the session, officials evaluated the ecological health of the Buriganga, Turag, Balu, and Shitalakkhya rivers, pinpointing untreated factory discharge, deficient drainage networks, poor municipal waste disposal, and dwindling canal navigation as the primary drivers of degradation.

To combat these challenges, the Prime Minister instructed officials to enforce the continuous operation of Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) across industrial units, enhance drainage infrastructure, conduct routine drives against violators, strictly enforce environmental statutes, and bolster inter-agency cooperation.

He further emphasized the importance of driving public awareness by engaging voluntary groups, educational institutions, environmental organizations, and local communities in conservation efforts.

To ensure accountability, the meeting resolved to establish a dedicated inter-agency coordination committee operating directly under the Prime Minister's Office to draft and supervise the master plan.

This body will align the operations of various ministries and submit regular progress updates to the PMO.

The conference was attended by prominent cabinet members and officials, including Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir; Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muqtadir; Road Transport, Bridges and Railways Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam; State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam; Commander of the Dhaka Naval Area Rear Admiral Abdullah-Al-Maqsus; Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister A.B.M. Abdus Sattar; alongside senior representatives from concerned government bodies.