Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday urged everyone to play a responsible role from their respective positions to ensure pollution-free rivers and a clean, liveable environment for future generations.

“We must try to ensure pollution-free rivers and a liveable environment not only for ourselves but also for future generations,” he said.

The Prime Minister made the call at a review meeting on pollution control, waste removal, conservation and management of rivers around Dhaka, ensuring navigability and improving the circular waterways, said a release issued by the PM’s Press Wing.

The meeting was held at the Bangladesh Secretariat in the morning.

Tarique Rahman stressed that people should not simply wait for government directives but should also act out of a sense of personal responsibility to protect the environment, rivers and waterways.

The meeting reviewed the overall activities concerning pollution control and waste removal from the Buriganga, Turag, Dhaleshwari, Balu and Shitalakhya rivers and adjacent canals and drains.

Those who attended the meeting also discussed measures to ensure navigability and the natural flow of water in the rivers and improve the existing circular waterways around Dhaka.

The Prime Minister directed the authorities to take effective steps to quickly implement the plans already undertaken.

He also stressed ensuring proper coordination among the ministries, divisions and agencies concerned to expedite the activities.

Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo, Industries and Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam, State Minister for LGRD and Co-operatives Mir Shahe Alam, State Minister for Planning Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki, State Minister for Shipping Md Razib Ahsan, State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shaikh Faridul Islam and Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Dr Saimum Parvez, among others, attended the meeting.

Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar, Commander Dhaka Naval Area Rear Admiral Abdullah-Al-Maksus, secretaries of the relevant ministries and divisions, administrators of Dhaka, Narayanganj and Gazipur city corporations and other senior officials were also present.