Dhoritri Rokhhay Amra (DHORA) and Badaghat and Baradal North Union Parishad jointly organized a rally demanding "Protection of Haor, River, and Agricultural Land" on January 19, 2024 (Friday) at Sand Char adjacent to Barek Tila of Baradal North Union of Tahirpur Upazila of Sunamganj District. Sultana Kamal, president of the Advisory Board of DHORA and former advisor to the caretaker government, was present as the chief guest at the rally. The rally was chaired by Md. Nizam Uddin, Chairman of Badaghat Union Parishad, Tahirpur. Sharif Jamil, the member secretary of the convening committee of DHORA and the coordinator of Waterkeepers Bangladesh, was present as the keynote speaker at the rally. The special guests of the rally were Dr. Nazia Chowdhury, Professor of Shahjalal Science and Technology University; Father Joseph Gomez, member of the convening committee of DHORA, and Abdul Karim Chowdhury Kim, a member of the convening committee of DHORA.

Chief guest Sultana Kamal said, “Man is the most remarkable creature in creation. If we assert that we are the best creatures in creation, then we bear a certain responsibility. From that sense of responsibility, we must take action. The people of this country are the stewards of this land. Therefore, it is imperative that each individual fulfills their role as a steward and takes initiative to protect the rivers, wetlands, and agricultural lands. When we engage in conflict with nature, it inevitably leads us into more crises instead of providing its resources. If we wish to thrive, we must all unite and proactively contribute to preserving our environment”.

The keynote speaker Sharif Jamil said, “Since 2008, every year during the rainy season in this region, enormous amounts of sand and stones accompany mountain landslides, filling rivers, fields, and agricultural lands. This significant natural disaster has resulted in a humanitarian crisis in the region. In addition to halting the unplanned mining of sand and stones by machines, prompt measures should be taken to rehabilitate farmlands and agricultural areas. International action needs to be urgently initiated to halt the unregulated mineral extraction in India's Meghalaya, preventing the silting up of the banks of the Jadukata River and Tanguar Haor due to sand and rock runoff”.

News links of Tahirpur Program

Prothom Alo, Prothom Alo New York, Delta Times, Sylhet Voice, Daily Jalalabad, Samakal, BD24LIVE, Ekushey Sangbad, Jago News24, Kaler Kantho, Sunam Kantha, Internet Life, Karangi News,