Louhajang River, once a river where merchants used to sail in big boats, was famous for its abundant local fish and clear water throughout the country beyond Tangail, is now in a state of existential crisis. Although repeated steps have been taken to save this river, which has become a narrow canal due to encroachment and pollution, it has stopped due to unseen reasons. However, the people of Tangail are seeing a glimmer of hope in the ongoing excavation activities of the current government. Their demand is that the Louhajang River will be free from encroachment, there will be beautiful roads on both sides of the river, and the river will be flowing. The Louhajang River is about 76 kilometers long, from Shibpur in Dhalan, Tangail Sadar Upazila to the Banshai River in Mirzapur. Thousands of houses have been illegally built on both sides of this river, which flows through Tangail city, and the river has turned into a narrow canal and is in a dead state. However, ships and launches used to sail through this river up to Amghat in the city once. Louhajang is not just a river, it is an integral part of Tangail's history and culture. The general public hopes that the Louhjang will regain its lost youth through proper implementation of the Bangladesh Water Act-2013 and planned excavation work.
Local businessman Abul Hossain said, "Occupying the land of the river means killing the environment by cutting its throat. If the 76-kilometer Louhjang river can be freed from the clutches of the encroachers, the city residents will benefit. Those who have occupied the river and built houses will also understand that the survival of thousands, lakhs and crores of people is much more important than the survival of one person."
Khandaker Anisur Rahman Matabbar said, "This river, which flows through the heart of Tangail city, is known as a branch of the Jamuna. In the last few decades, due to unplanned urbanization and encroachment by influential circles, the river has turned into a narrow canal. Especially due to the direct dumping of city waste into the river, it has now become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and a source of stench.' Engineer Noor Mohammad Rajya, General Secretary of the Tangail District Civil Rights Protection Committee, said, 'River rescue work must be started quickly following the Water Act-2013.
In the case of the Louhjang River, it is now the demand of the hour to enforce this law to evict illegal structures and determine the boundaries of the river. If the law is strictly enforced, it is possible to restore the original form of the river. In some parts of the western side of the river, encroachers have been evicted and roads have been constructed. Everyone expects that the government will take effective steps to rescue the remaining parts.
