With the Brahmaputra River flowing just a few yards from her home, one would think Fatema Begum, a resident of Bashirgaon, a village in Sonargaon, enjoys living in a picturesque setting.
Instead, she is forced to complain and literally hold her nose at the unbearable stench emanating from the river, caused by the disposal of chemicals and garbage into the river from different industries along its banks.
"Actually I no longer hold my nose. The stench is normalised now,” she says.
Fatema is among many villagers in Narayanganj district, known for its industrial base, who have seen rivers in this area turn toxic due to the discharge of untreated industrial waste.
Although conditions slightly improve during the rainy season, in dry seasons the rivers’ waters turn tar-black.
This severe pollution is impacting the lives of thousands, disrupting agriculture and destroying biodiversity.
Due to the polluted river waters, fish are now absent from the rivers and agricultural production has plummeted.
Villagers have protested and demanded an end to industrial waste dumping but to no avail.
Recalling the golden times, Zamir Ali of Ladhurchar in Noagaon union, said about 10–12 years ago the rivers weren’t as polluted as today.
He blamed dyeing factories for discharging untreated, chemical-laden water into the rivers, making it unsuitable for any use other than irrigating paddy fields.
Even during monsoons, the water remains polluted in some areas.
Pollution on an industrial scale
The mighty Brahmaputra River, having originated high in the Himalayas, flows through Sonargaon for 27 kilometres towards the end of its epic journey to the Bay of Bengal.
Every day, over 33 crore cubic meters of industrial waste water (effluent) and 270 cubic feet of solid waste are dumped into the river in this part alone, according to the Department of Environment's Narayanganj office.
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Besides, untreated sewage from more than 5,000 open toilets in nearby villages flows into the river, contributing 885 cubic feet of human waste daily.
Alamgir Hossain from Charpara village said once the Brahmaputra had crystal-clear water, which was used for farming and household activities.
"Currently, the water looks like tar," adding that agricultural yields have dropped significantly, he said adding “Once he used to harvest 45 maunds of paddy per bigha, he now gets barely 20.”
During a recent visit to the river banks in Mahjampur, Gobindapur, Bashirgaon, charpara, Harhardi, Musarchar, Panchamighat, Olipura, this correspondent found that the farmers are still using the polluted water of the river for agriculture.
However, it's unsuitable for household purposes. In some places, people including children and the elderly take baths in the water while livestock are also washed in it.
This has led to an increase in waterborne diseases like scabies and infections.
Sources of pollution
Over 300 industries located along the riverbanks in Sonargaon, including factories in the Meghna Economic Zone, Chaiti Composite, Bengal, Tiger Cement, Fresh, Bashundhara Paper Mill and others.
Waste from these industries was discharged directly into the Brahmaputra and the nearby Marikhali River. Besides, over 1,500 dyeing factories discharge untreated chemical-laden water into the rivers in Araihazar upazila.
The Environment Protection Development Society has organised awareness campaigns, human chains and protests to stop pollution in the locality.
Mohammad Hossain, chairman of the society, said the influence of industrialists has rendered these efforts ineffective.
“The rivers in Sonargaon are no longer usable due to industrial waste. We’re trying, but it’s a constant struggle against powerful interests,” he said.
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He cited the Meghna Economic Zone and Chaiti Composite as examples where industrial effluents are discharged through two canals, severely polluting the rivers.
Contacted, Chaiti Composite’s Admin Manager, Md. Mizanur Rahman, defiantly said, "Our Effluent Treatment Plants (ETP) operates 24/7 and the water we discharge is treated. No one can prove otherwise."
But Abu Sayeed Tareq, Sonargaon Upazila agriculture officer, said high acid levels in industrial waste are damaging crops and reducing yields.
“If waste discharge continues unchecked, the area’s agriculture will face severe crises,” he said.
Echoing the same, senior fisheries officer Mahmuda Akter of the upazila, said that fish breeding is being disrupted, leading to a sharp decline in production.
"The rivers are now devoid of fish, and the water contains dangerous levels of carbon dioxide and monoxide," she added.
AHM Rashed, Deputy Director of the Department of Environment (DoE) in Narayanganj, said, "We regularly monitor industrial waste disposal into the rivers. Factories found guilty of polluting are fined."