By Md Aynal Haque

RAJSHAHI, March 2, 2025 (BSS)- More afforestation has become crucial to
mitigate the environmental crises as it has gradually been aggravating due to
adverse impact of climate change in the region, particularly the vast Barind
tract.

Sharing his expertise on the issue, Professor Golam Mostofa of the Institute
of Environmental Sciences (IES) at Rajshahi University (RU) said excessive
heat coupled with less rainfall and shortage of irrigation water are being
witnessed creating a negative impact on the farming system.

Lessening of forestry has caused declining rainfall and inclining temperature
posing a threat to agricultural production together with living and
livelihood conditions of people.

The present farmers are facing multiple problems, including drought and heat
waves, which are detrimental to their farming process, Prof Mostofa
mentioned.

Apart from this, water level of the existing rivers, particularly the Padma,
and their tributaries along with other water bodies have been lowered to a
greater extent causing an adverse impact on the region's whole ecosystem and
farming outputs.
 
Stressing the need for capital dredging in the Padma river to restore its
navigability Prof Golam Mostofa said cleaning the bottom part of the Padma
river has become a prime need otherwise temperature will rise and humidity
and rainfall will decline.

He opined that more afforestation and climate management has become an urgent
need to face the crises.
 
Water flow of the Padma river is declining abnormally, causing dry up its
mainstream and tributaries, impacting the environment in the drought-prone
Barind tract.
 
Experts said the entire northern and southern regions of the country,
particularly the vast Barind tract, are facing ecological disorder due to
adverse impact of the gradual dropping of the Padma water level.
 
Prof Redwanur Rahman of the IES said the water level is reducing rapidly and
it has reached the lowest mark during the current dry season, causing
emergence of a large number of big sandbanks in the riverbed.
 
The river now has the lowest water flow in some channels, hampering
navigability throughout its courses both in the upstream and downstream.
 
Normal water flow in the river is now visible only for three to four months a
year. Water level drops to its lowest ebb in other times causing long sandy
char across the river, making the living and livelihood of the people of char
areas vulnerable.
 
Prof Redwanur Rahman further said the water level is declining to a greater
extent this season compared to the last couple of years.
 
If the declining trend continues till the monsoon begins in July, it might
lead the entire northern and southern regions to a more disastrous situation,
he apprehended.
 
Ground water level is declining fast in the vast Barind tract making the
hand-driven tube-wells non-functional.

Both solid and liquid waste is dumped indiscriminately into the Padma river
posing a long-term threat to water pollution and river erosion.
 
Prof Mijanur Rahman of the Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences
at RU said solid and liquid waste dumped into the Padma and along the city
protection embankment.
 
The river, Padma, in Rajshahi has fallen prey to illegal grabbing and
pollution as solid waste such as broken tiles of houses and discarded pieces
of concrete are dumped on the banks, he said.
 
Mijanur Rahman mentioned that the decline in the diversity of fish has been
identified due to encroaching into the river, indiscriminate fish, illegal
fishing gear uses, agrochemical contamination of river water and plastic
pollution.
 
He said, "A few years ago, I studied the liquid waste going through the
sluice gate of the Water Development Board in the River Padma and found a
huge level of pollution and it is growing."
 
"The number of fish has also greatly decreased. Besides, the use of river
water for agriculture is also posing health risks, since research has shown
the water of the Padma has been found to contain metals," he continued.

Various institutions and factories should have effluent treatment plants,
which are not available in Rajshahi, Prof Rahman added.

Talking to BSS here on Friday, Prof Hassanur Rahman of the Department of
Botany at RU said proper conservation of natural environment and greenery in
the city has become a big challenge due to unplanned urbanization and
shortage of vacant space.

He said there were scores of water bodies and water reservoirs during the
fifties or sixties but the number has been reduced alarmingly at present
creating a negative impact to the environment.