Kapasia Waste Dumping Threatens Banar River As Processing Plant Remains Ineffective
Unchecked dumping and an abandoned waste management plant have turned the banks of the Banar River in Gazipur into a public health hazard as World River Day is observed
Enormous heaps of refuse have accumulated along the banks of the Banar River in Gazipur's Kapasia upazila, leaving discarded polythene, rotting vegetables, and non-biodegradable waste floating in the water as the nation observes World River Day. Local residents report that municipal waste from the Kapasia market and surrounding commercial areas has been routinely dumped at the location for the past five years, severely threatening public health and local aquatic ecosystems.
An on-site inspection of the Kapasia river ferry ghat revealed towering mounds of garbage choking the banks, with foul odours rendering the area nearly intolerable for commuters. The crossing is heavily trafficked daily by students attending schools, colleges, and madrasas in the Targaon area on the northern bank, alongside general commuters. Compounding the health hazards, several vegetable vendors operating near the ferry terminal were observed washing produce directly in the waste-contaminated river water, sparking widespread concern over potential waterborne disease outbreaks.
Locals indicate that refuse originating from densely populated zones and storefronts across the upazila headquarters is continuously transported and deposited beside the busy terminal, with the piles expanding steadily over time. Ferry operators expressed profound helplessness and frustration over the worsening environmental decay. Boatman Md Asadullah lamented that the community has endured the unbearable situation for a prolonged period with no recourse, while fellow boatman Sudhas Chandra Monidas questioned whether authorities would ever intervene to alleviate the suffering of commuters.
Paradoxically, a dedicated waste management and organic fertilizer production facility, implemented by the Kapasia upazila administration and inaugurated in October 2023, stands idle just 500 metres away from the polluted stretch. Residents noted that the plant has remained closed throughout 2024, and the precise construction cost of the project remains unaccounted for. Local traders, including Shafiqul Islam and Nazrul Islam, expressed deep dismay that successive administrations have failed to address the escalating garbage crisis despite the proximity of the municipal processing facility.
Khorshed Alam, chairman of the River and Nature Foundation, underscored that the continuous dumping is actively narrowing the river channel while accelerating environmental degradation, demanding immediate waste removal and punitive legal action against perpetrators. Addressing the dysfunctional processing facility, Kapasia Upazila Assistant Commissioner for Land acknowledged that the plant is currently inactive due to local public opposition stemming from its proximity to residential areas, adding that authorities are actively scouting alternative sites along the riverbank to establish a new waste management plant.
