All rivers in Bangladesh declared living beings

The High Court has declared all rivers flowing through Bangladesh to be living beings.

The HC on Monday published the full verdict on the rivers following a writ petition filed by human rights and environmental organisation Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.

The 283-page verdict appearing on the Supreme Court website has issued 17 directives to the authorities concerned.

Earlier on 30 January, in a landmark verdict, the High Court declared the river Turag as a legal person or a living being to save the river from illegal encroachment.

In its partial judgment, the HC bench of justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and justice M Ashraful Kamal said Bangladesh and humankind as well will fall into danger if rivers cannot be protected from encroachment and navigability problems.