Cox’s Bazar is home to four primary rivers: Bakkhali, Naf, Eidgaon Fuleshwari, and Matamuhuri. These rivers flow through the district and directly merge into the Bay of Bengal.
Once mighty, the Bakkhali, Eidgaon Fuleshwari, and Matamuhuri rivers have now dwindled into narrow canals. In some areas, vast stretches of barren sandbars have emerged along their beds.
These rivers, once mighty, now sit almost stagnant beside shallow tube wells, the sites of crop cultivation.
In the past, these rivers were navigated by large vessels, serving as the sole route for connecting this region with various parts of the country and facilitating the transport of goods.
But these rivers are now history for the new generation.
The Fuleshwari, Matamuhuri, Naf, and Bakkhali rivers have lost their flow, and during the monsoon, the sediment deposited on their beds remains. As a result, new sandbars, both large and small, are emerging every year.
Moreover, illegal constructions are encroaching on both banks of these rivers, narrowing their width overnight. Environmental experts and concerned citizens believe that eviction drives are the only way to restore these rivers to their previous state.
By Mohammad Morshed
