Photo : TDM
Currently, the rate of environmental pollution and negligence in Habiganj has reached an alarming level. Rivers, canals, reservoirs, and agricultural lands have suffered severe destruction, posing a threat to both life and nature. The consequences of water pollution, noise pollution, and air pollution have become evident, causing an environmental crisis.
On the occasion of World Environment Day, a picture-painting protest programme was organised in Habiganj, where concerned individuals expressed their views. The programme, titled "Stop industrial pollution to save Habiganj," was jointly organised by Bangladesh Environment Andolan (Bapa) Habiganj Branch, Khoai River Waterkeeper, and Art and Technical Institute Habiganj. Around 30 painters participated in the event from 11 am to 3 pm, focusing on the theme "Solution to Plastic Pollution."
During the programme, a discussion meeting was held under the chairmanship of Prof. Md. Ikramul Wadud, the president of Bapa Habiganj. Prominent figures such as Advocate Mansoor Uddin Ahmed Iqbal, the vice-president of Bapa Habiganj, and Professor Jahan Ara Khatun, a renowned writer and researcher, also attended.
The paintings created by the artists unveiled the detrimental effects of waste and plastic discharged from factories on our rivers, reservoirs, and natural surroundings. Some artists depicted nature, rivers, and water bodies trapped inside plastic bottles. The polluted black water in these bottles floated alongside plastic bottles, dead fish, frogs, and other aquatic creatures. Others portrayed the pollution of rivers and the destruction of agricultural lands and crops.
In recent years, industrial pollution has escalated drastically since the 1980s. Numerous large-scale factories have been established from Madhavpur to Aushkandi in the district. These mills release untreated effluents, which spread across rivers and canals, affecting extensive areas. The consequences of industrial pollution directly impact millions of people residing in approximately 20 unions of Habiganj and the neighboring Brahmanbaria district.
TDM/SD
