The present leadership must prioritise the development of these two assets of Bangladesh for a sustainable and prosperous future.

Plight of the Karatoya highlights the pitiful state of our rivers

It’s time for the government to take the death of our lifelines seriously

Bangladesh is a riverine country and where there is river, there are often chars (shoals). Chars are essentially shallow lands in the river that rise when the water level decreases. Sometimes a char rises and stays visible for years before fading back into the river. Leaving aside the definition, chars can be great places to travel.

Our rivers are being attacked one after another. India's dams, river connectivity plans, and various projects undertaken within the country, encroachment and pollution are all taking our rivers closer to extinction.

The National River Conservation Commission has decided not to publish a list of 37,000 new encroachers of 48 rivers and the environment activists say protecting their identities is tantamount to siding with the grabbers.