RAJSHAHI, May 22, 2021 (BSS)- Integrated efforts of all the government and non-government organizations concerned can be the best ways of ensuring survival of all the living beings through protecting biodiversity.
Environment has been facing a serious threat due to various natural and man made catastrophes posing an identical threat to the planet Earth at present so there is no way but to protect the biodiversity.
Development activists, social watchdogs and members of various volunteer organizations came up with the observations while addressing a human-chain-cum-discussion meeting at Shrirampur close to the city protection embankment today.
Biodiversity Conservation Alliance (BCA) organized the meeting to mark the International Biodiversity Day 2021.
Chaired by BCA Convener Dr Mahfuzur Rahman, the meeting was addressed, among others, by Member-secretary Raihan Halim and members Hasnat Rony, Rezaul Karim Mohabbat, Mahbub Jaman Tapan, Syed Ahmed Babla and Maleque Tuhin.
Volunteer organizers Advocate Fatema Mita, Dr Saleheen Sakib, Atiqur Rahman and Selim Monwar also spoke.
The discussants unanimously stressed the need for protecting rivers and other surface water resources and wetlands from further degradation to conserve biodiversity and ecosystem along with mitigating water crises in the drought-prone Barind area.
Stressing the need for protecting the Ganges to conserve biodiversity and ecosystem along with mitigating water crises in the area Dr Mahfuzur Rahman emphasized protecting other tributaries to keep balance of environment and save aquatic species.
He mentioned that the mighty river has now turned into a dried bed of sand dunes and silts due to depletion of flow of water. Every year, the river is losing its navigability with the deposition of millions of tonnes of silt on the riverbed.
Dr Rahman said the water in the river is now visible for three to four months only and in the rest eight to nine months of the year water level drops to its lowest ebb resulting in miles long sandy char land across the river.
The main flow of the river is from the right side of the river but the flow has now turned into stagnant water bodies in the river bed.