Environment threatened by urbanisation at Dhamrai

Abdur Rahman, hailing from Pirojpur district, joined an international shoe company at Tongi in 1975. Later, he migrated to Dhamrai when the company opened its new factory there. Since then, he has been living at Dhamrai with his wife and children.

In the last couple of decades, Abdur Rahman has witnessed a radical change in Dhamrai. To him, the rural locality is now at risk by aggressive urbanisation.

River Bangshi flows 40km north-west of the capital city Dhaka. Ashulia of Savar is on the east side and Dhamrai on the west side of the river. Dhamrai municipality area is developed on the banks of the Bangshi.

Octogenarian Dewan Fazlur Rahman was born and raised at Mokamtala–the busiest locality in Dhamrai municipality area. Fazlur reminisces, “Even in the 1980's, Dhamrai was mainly a rural locality. Most of the inhabitants used to live in mud-huts. Only the rich landlords and businesses had concrete buildings. The locality has been changed before my eyes.”

Twenty years back, agriculture was the main source of earning for most of the Dhamrai people. There were only a few industrial units.

The department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments’ labour inspector Enamul Haque, says, “Currently, there are at least 60 industrial units including of ready-made garments, pharmaceuticals, food processing, cosmetics, ceramics and others as well as some hundreds of small and medium industries in Dhamrai area.”

The Dhamrai upazila covers one municipality and 16 union parishads. A recent field visit revealed that industrialisation is now concentrating in the Dhamrai municipality area, Kulla, Sombag, Sutipara and Gangutia along the Dhaka-Aricha highways.

Convener of a civic group Dhamrai Upazila Sacheton Nagarik Samaj, Imran Hossain, says the industrialisation across Dhamrai, though creating employment opportunities, is expanding haphazardly at the cost of farmland and livable environment of residential areas.

The Dhamrai municipality is cordoned by the River Bangshi at its three sides. Some riverine people have alleged that the stench created by river pollution makes their life miserable as industrial waste generated in the Dhaka (Savar) Export Processing Zone is emitted into the river.

Montu Rajbangshi’s residence is located at Pashchim Kayetpara, on the bank of the Bangshi. “The river water had turned highly polluted. Last year I gave up fishing forever. Now I run a tea stall,” he says.

Dhamrai municipality and its neighbouring villages house at least 20 rice mills. Ashes generated from the mills are dumped in the river water. Bangshi River Protection Movement organiser Mahmud Rashid says, “The river is in grave danger due to pollution.”

Liquid waste down is also contaminating the Gazikhali River. There are several paper mills and ready-made garments units on both sides of a tributary of the Gazikhali. Local people have alleged that liquid waste from the industrial units pollute the river water.

Dhaka region director of the Department of Environment (DoE), Ziaul Haque, says, “Complaints are there that most of the factories operate their effluent treatment plant only for two months in a year, polluting the nearby water-bodies with untreated liquid wastes.”

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association, says, “The DoE needs to strengthen surveillance over the factories as the department issues them clearance. If needed, strict measures like snapping of utility services and even closing of industrial units should be taken against the law violators.”

Brick-kilns pose danger

According to DoE, 67 brick-kilns out of 130 are running in Dhamrai without environmental clearance. Local lawmaker Benjir Ahmed blames the DoE for not taking proper steps before giving clearance to the hazardous brick-kilns.

Some local green activists allege that around 200 brick-kilns are responsible for air pollution in Dhamrai.

The health and family planning officer at Dhamrai Health Complex Noor Riffat Ara says that at least two patients, mostly workers of brick-kilns or other industries, with respiratory problems receive treatment at the health complex per day.

Jahangirnagar University’s urban planning professor Adil Mohammed Khan says, “Expansion of industrialisation has been widening across Dhamrai because of its proximity to Dhaka.” He suggests the government formulate an upazila-based master plan for important places like Dhamrai.

Urban Development Directorate’s office head Khurshid Zabin Hossain Taufique says the 20-year master plan for Dhamrai has expired. “A fresh master plan for the next 20 years is being drafted,” he said.

* This report appeared in the print edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten for the English edition by Sadiqur Rahman