Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam informed Parliament today that the government has demolished a total of 28,325 illegal structures from rivers and riverbanks across Bangladesh since 2010. These operations have recovered 1,244.22 acres of riverbank land, and eviction efforts are still ongoing. The minister provided this information in response to a starred tabled question from AKM Fazlul Haque Milon, a member of the treasury bench representing Gazipur-5 constituency.
Ongoing Efforts and Measures
Minister Alam detailed various ongoing measures to prevent illegal encroachment and pollution of the country’s rivers. River port foreshores are being surveyed and demarcated with the assistance of district administrations, and boundary pillars are being installed in identified foreshore areas. Efforts to identify and remove illegal structures within river port boundaries continue.
Regular drives are conducted under the supervision of executive magistrates through mobile courts to prevent illegal occupation and pollution. Encroachers and polluters are punished with on-the-spot imprisonment and fines, and illegally stored materials found in foreshore areas are seized or auctioned.
Permanent Solutions and Future Plans
Permanent measures are being taken to prevent reoccupation of recovered riverbanks after the removal of illegal structures and filled land. These include the construction of aesthetic walkways, eco-parks, RCC jetties, and steps, alongside afforestation programmes. These initiatives help protect river environments and maintain ecological balance.
The National River Conservation Commission, in cooperation with district and upazila administrations as well as other government agencies, is carrying out regular operations across the country to curb illegal encroachment and pollution of rivers. The commission has updated the list of illegal river encroachers, identifying a total of 21,988 illegal encroachers nationwide as of December 23, 2025.
Future Actions
The updated list of illegal river encroachers will be published on the commission’s website after verification. A special crash programme has been undertaken to evict illegal occupiers, with eviction drives to be carried out in line with a specific action plan following verification by the district administrations.
