For decades, untreated waste from Agartala has crossed into Bangladesh through Akhaura, turning Brahmanbaria canals black, contaminating farmland, killing fish, and exposing thousands in border villages to disease.
For decades, polluted water from Agartala in India’s Tripura state has been entering Bangladesh through the Akhaura land port. The contamination has turned canals and rivers into foul-smelling, black waterways, putting thousands of residents in at least fifteen border villages at serious health risk. Local farmers, fishermen, and students are witnessing a dramatic decline in livelihoods and biodiversity while chronic illnesses rise.
According to residents, untreated industrial effluents, hospital waste, household sewage, and chemical contaminants from Agartala flow through the Kalindi and Morandidi canals, eventually reaching the Titas River system. The water is visibly black, foul-smelling, and largely unusable for cooking, washing, or bathing.
Environmental activists stress that the pollution is ongoing, not accidental. Despite promises, untreated or partially treated waste keeps entering Bangladesh, said a local environmental advocate. Bangladesh is effectively being used as a dumping ground while ecosystems, farmland, and public health pay the price.
“This toxic water is destroying our rivers, our fish and our crops,” said Abu Hanif Noman, coordinator of a local protest campaign with Brahmanbaria Hikers.
Farmers report that nearly 1,500 hectares of cropland are contaminated, reducing soil fertility and crop yields. Nurul Amin, a farmer from Razapur, said, “We used to grow rice and vegetables every year. Now the land is poisoned. Even when crops grow, we are afraid to eat them.”
Fishermen also report dramatic declines in fish populations. Md Eyasin, a veteran fisherman, said, “We chase fish deeper into the canals each season, but they are fewer and harder to find. Some families have completely stopped fishing. Without fish, we cannot survive.”
Health professionals warn of increasing cases of diarrhoea, typhoid, skin infections, and respiratory issues. Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. “Clinics are seeing more patients with water- and air-related ailments,” said a local physician. “Long-term chemical exposure could cause chronic diseases, but proper monitoring has not been done.”
Altered rainfall patterns, flash floods, and extended dry periods either spread pollutants further or concentrate chemicals in stagnant water.
Officials from the Brahmanbaria district administration confirmed that the issue has been repeatedly raised with higher authorities and the Indo–Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission. “We have informed the relevant ministries and pushed for a permanent technical solution so that all waste is treated before crossing into Bangladesh,” said Anwar Kadir, a commission member.
Policy analysts warn that without immediate action, these once-life-sustaining waterways risk becoming permanently dead channels, with long-term consequences for human health, food security, and regional environmental stability. They recommend regular dredging of canals, seasonal ecological lockdowns to allow fish and wildlife to recover, robust infrastructure for flood and water management, and awareness campaigns for communities and tourists.
Urging regional cooperation, Sohanur Rahman, executive coordinator of YouthNet Global, said, “We cannot stand by while these communities and their environment disappear. Protecting these ecosystems is a shared responsibility and it is the state’s duty to ensure justice, health and survival for all residents.”
