Manjur Ahmed Chowdhury, chairman of National River Protection Commission, visited Bisik leather industry city in Hemayetpur of Savar on Monday to see the river pollution situation and expressed his disappointment. He said, ‘We are disappointed with the overall waste management activities of Leather Industry City. When I came to the lab, I saw that the in-charge of the lab was absent. There are no people in his presence. No necessary equipment. This is unfortunate. If tanneries become members of Leather Working Group (LWG), the leather industry will take a step forward. But they did not see any initiative in that regard. Although the capacity of the central waste treatment plant is 25,000 cubic meters per day, the tannery owners are producing more waste than this. We heard that Bisik is going to set up two more leather factories. We call that negative. It is not possible for them. Because, they have turned this leather industry city of Savar into rubbish.

Chairman of the National River Protection Commission said, “There are frequent complaints that the environment is being polluted with the water of Dhaleswari river in Hemayetpur of Savar leather industry town waste.” Various rivers including Banshi, Buriganga are connected with Dhaleswari. Due to this, the issue of pollution of those rivers is also coming up. In view of the allegations of pollution, the information provided by the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BCIC) is doubtful. We could not be convinced by looking at the surface. We are not in any way in favor of closing the factory. However, if the situation does not improve, those who are currently in charge of management will be recommended for change.

Manjur Ahmed Chowdhury, chairman of National River Protection Commission, visited the CETP’s activities at the BCIC office in Leather Industry Nagar in the morning. Along with this, Dhaleswari discussed with the officials of the concerned departments and organizations to prevent river pollution. Later he visited Apex Tannery. He then visited CETP controlled by Dhaka Tannery Industrial Estate Waste Treatment Plant Company Limited. During his visit to CETP’s lab, he expressed disappointment that lab technicians were absent and lack of necessary equipment. Later he went to see the issue of water pollution in Dhaleswari river adjacent to CETP.