Young climate activists and indigenous community members protested at Dhaka University on Friday, demanding urgent action to stop industrial pollution in the Phuljor and Karatoa rivers in northern Bangladesh, warning that toxic waste threatens aquatic life, agriculture and the livelihoods of thousands.
Young climate activists and indigenous community members staged a protest at Dhaka University on Thursday, calling for urgent government action to protect two northern rivers from industrial pollution that they say is threatening ecosystems and local livelihoods.
Around 50 protesters gathered in front of the campus’s Raju Sculpture, a historic site for political demonstrations, demanding stronger enforcement of environmental laws to protect the Phuljor and Karatoa rivers in Sirajganj and Bogura districts.
The rally was organised by environmental group YouthNet Global and included indigenous women, men and children who had travelled from Sirajganj to join the demonstration.
Speakers at the event accused nearby industries of discharging untreated chemical waste into the rivers, contaminating water used for farming, fishing and household activities.
“The protection of the Phuljor and Karatoa rivers is about preserving the lifeline of our communities,” said Santosh Singh Babu, president of the Bogura district committee of the National Indigenous Council. “If the rivers die, our culture, our food and our future will be lost.”
The Phuljor River, which stretches about 55 kilometres, supports the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people along its banks. Protesters alleged that waste from several factories, including SR Chemicals and Majumdar Products in Bogura’s Sherpur area, has polluted the water and harmed aquatic biodiversity.
Environmental campaigner Faisal Biswas, who joined the protest from Sirajganj, warned that pollution in the rivers could have far-reaching impacts.
“Rivers are the lifeblood of our communities. Without effective action to stop pollution, we risk not only environmental disaster but also our livelihoods,” he said.
Organisers also called for an independent investigation into industrial pollution, accountability for companies responsible for contamination, and an end to what they described as harassment of environmental defenders.
Sohanur Rahman, executive coordinator of YouthNet Global, said Bangladesh’s rivers form the foundation of the country’s ecosystems and rural economy.
“Industrial waste is destroying our rivers and damaging fragile ecosystems,” he said. “Young people and local communities are uniting to demand stronger protection.”
During the protest, several rickshaw pullers joined demonstrators, singing songs about river protection. One of them, Md Khaleque from Dinajpur, said rivers were inseparable from daily life.
“A river is not just water, it is part of our lives. If the rivers survive, we survive,” he said.
Bangladesh’s High Court declared all rivers in the country “living entities” in a landmark 2019 ruling, appointing the National River Protection Commission as their legal guardian.
Environmental groups say that despite the ruling, enforcement remains weak. Activists reported that chemical discharges into the Phuljor River on February 21 and 22 caused large-scale deaths of fish and other aquatic species, sparking protests in Bogura and Sirajganj.
Demonstrators held human chains and submitted memorandums to local authorities before staging a protest in front of factories in Bogura’s Sherpur area.
According to activists, police later arrested two environmental campaigners, Touhidur Rahman, also known as Babu, and Ali Reza Biswas, on extortion charges. Both were presented in court and released on bail, while campaigners say other environmental defenders continue to face intimidation.
