No exemption to river grabbers: NRPC chairman

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RANGPUR, April 17, 2018 (BSS)-Chairman of the National River Protection Commission (NRPC) Dr Mojibur Rahman Hawlader has said no exemption will be given to river grabbers.

“I have already instructed all deputy commissioners (DCs) of Rangpur division to evict all illegal structures erected on riverbanks in the region and they have started implementing the directive,” he said.

The NRPC Chairman said this at a seminar on ‘Role of Youths in Protecting Rivers’ held at Heyat Mamud Bhaban of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR) here on Monday afternoon as the chief guest.

The BRUR unit of the Riverine People organised the seminar for its activists and teachers and students of the university.

Director of the Riverine People and associate professor of BRUR Dr Tuhin Wadud presided over the event moderated by convener of the organisation and Assistant Professor Umar Faruk.

Fulltime member of NRPC Md Alauddin, professor of the Department of Management Studies of BRUR Dr Matiur Rahman, head of the Department of Bengali Professor Saidul Haque and its Associate Professor Dr Shafique Ashraf addressed as special guests.

Md Alauddin said, “The rivers of our country will wake up one day holding the hands of the youths.”

Terming the rivers as mothers, Professor Saidul Haque said, “If we cannot serve the mothers, then it will be difficult to save the country.”

The chief guest said, “We must protect the rivers as per instructions of the prime minister. The youths should lodge strong protest against anybody acting against interest of the rivers.”

“Most of the people, who participated in the War of Liberation, were under thirty years of age. So, the young people should have to come forward in the war of our rivers,” he added.

Quoting from an article of fiction writer Debesh Roy, Dr Tuhin Wadud said, “If the people do not go to the rivers with love, then the rivers come to them with a horrible nature. So, there is no alternative to become careful to the rivers.”

Later, the NRPC chairman conducted an oath-taking ceremony of the participants to protect the rivers.