An alleged toxic waste discharge into Bangladesh’s Shitalakshya River has killed at least 50 tonnes of fish, devastating local farmers and prompting an official environmental investigation.
A suspected discharge of toxic industrial waste has polluted the Shitalakshya River in central Bangladesh, triggering a mass fish die-off and causing heavy losses for local fish farmers, officials and residents said.
At least 50 tonnes of fish raised in floating cages were reported dead, highlighting the scale of the incident in an area where river-based aquaculture supports local livelihoods.
Large numbers of dead fish were seen floating in the river between Palash Bazar and the Charsindur Bridge on Feb 20 and 21, raising alarm among riverside communities. Species including air, pangas and tilapia were among those found dead in the polluted water.
One of the worst-affected farmers, Hafizur Rahman, a nationally recognized fish farmer, said nearly 50 tonnes of fish in his floating cage farm died overnight, causing losses estimated at around Tk 10 million or roughly $90,000.
“So many fish died within a single night. I have never seen such a situation in my 16 years of fish farming,” he said.
According to the farmer and local residents, the pollution was allegedly caused by chemical waste discharged from the nearby Akij Bashir Jute Mills, formerly known as Janata Jute Mills. The allegation has been submitted in a written complaint to the local administration.
Rahman said the factory began releasing toxic chemical waste directly into the river on the night of Feb 19. Over the following two days, tonnes of fish died in the river, including fish raised in about 250 floating cages owned by him.
In his complaint to the Palash Upazila administration, he demanded a proper investigation, legal action against those responsible for environmental damage and compensation for the financial losses.
Rahman said he has been cultivating fish using scientific floating cage methods in the Shitalakshya River for the past 16 years. In recognition of his contributions to aquaculture, he has received district-level awards three times and a national award once.
Local residents said the suspected toxic discharge not only killed farmed fish but also affected native fish and other aquatic species in the river, raising concerns about serious environmental damage. A foul odor has spread across nearby areas, creating worries about potential health risks for communities living along the river.
The Shitalakshya River is an important waterway flowing through a major industrial belt near the capital Dhaka and supports fisheries, transportation and local ecosystems, making pollution incidents particularly concerning.
Officials from the Department of Environment in Narsingdi visited the site on Tuesday after receiving reports of the incident. Deputy Director Md Badrul Huda said several factories operate near the river and all are required to run effluent treatment plants, commonly known as ETPs.
Authorities collected water samples from the river and from factory outlets during the inspection and sent them to Dhaka for laboratory testing.
“There are about five factories around this area and they all have ETP facilities. If evidence of pollution is found after testing the samples, necessary action will be taken,” Huda said.
He added that authorities will also examine whether wastewater from factories in nearby Gazipur may have contributed to the pollution.
Environmental experts have long warned about pollution risks in the Shitalakshya River due to industrial discharge in surrounding manufacturing zones. The latest incident has renewed concerns over the enforcement of environmental regulations and the protection of river ecosystems in Bangladesh.
