The Department for International Development (DFID) members visited the river Buriganga in Bangladesh and showed their serious concerns in terms of public health and right to water. It is to be mentioned that a six member team from DFID visited the river Buriganga on 8th March, 2016. Abu Saleh Mohammod Rejuan, Field Operation Personnel of Buriganga Riverkeeper welcomed the team to the patrol boat of Buriganga Riverkeeper at 9:00 am at Basila.
During this visit the members of the DFID saw untreated pollutants’ discharge points, faulty demarcation pillars, ongoing river encroachment and the full grabbing of the 2nd channel of the river. The team stopped for a while at Kamrangirchar near Section and talked to the local people about river Buriganga and relevant issues; like – importance of the river, pollution and other threats to Buriganga. They also observed the livelihoods with serious concerns in terms of public health and right to safe water. The trip ended at Sadarghat VIP terminal at 11:00 am.
Arifur Rahman, Poverty and Livelihoods Adviser; Helen O’Connor; Climate and Environment Adviser; Antonette Grant, Governance Adviser; Marielin Mridha, Deputy Programme Manager; Sarah Hopwood, Head of Policy Coordination and Corporate Business and Solomon Nyamande, Commercial Adviser were in the team on behalf DFID.