A comprehensive cleanup campaign was launched on Friday targeting the Durani canal and surrounding areas to restore the navigability of the historic 7-kilometer Old Buriganga channel near Kamrangirchar and Rasulpur in Dhaka.

The joint initiative was spearheaded by the Dhaka district administration alongside the youth volunteer group BD Clean, following instructions from the Prime Minister to State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam to clear accumulated waste and rejuvenate the waterway.

To execute the directive, plans have been set in motion for dredging, re-excavation, removal of illegal structures and the development of modern recreational walkways along the unblocked channel.

Prior to commencing the cleanup, State Minister Mir Shahe Alam administered an oath to participants and BD Clean volunteers.

The event was attended by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator M Abdus Salam, Dhaka-7 lawmaker Hamidur Rahman, and Dhaka Deputy Commissioner Farida Khanam.

Encroachment and dumping have severely impacted the 3.2-kilometer Old Buriganga channel—the oldest waterway in Old Dhaka—particularly around a 1,000-foot stretch near the Durani Bridge area.

The resulting stagnant water, foul odors, mosquito infestation, and local waterlogging have created significant hardships for nearby communities.

Environmental experts note that the natural flow of the Old Buriganga channel was severely disrupted following the construction of the Dhaka flood-control embankment (Beribadh) in the early 1990s, which was built to shield the city's western and northern regions from seasonal flooding.

The current government drive aims to transform the degraded channel into an eco-friendly public resource.

Alongside active garbage removal from the canal and its margins, authorities are running public awareness campaigns urging residents to refrain from discarding trash into the water.

According to DSCC sources, once the trash removal phase concludes, work will pivot toward restoring water flow, landscaping both banks, and constructing public walkways for community recreation.

"It is imperative to keep canals and rivers free from waste to protect the environment and public health. The joint initiative of the Dhaka district administration and BD Clean is praiseworthy," stated the state minister during the launch.

"We hope that the programme will be successfully completed and local people will benefit from it."

To ensure long-term sustainability, the Dhaka district administration will maintain continuous monitoring to prevent re-encroachment and future dumping along the waterway.