The Cox’s Bazar Community Alliance, an association of residents currently based in Dhaka, has issued a statement calling for justice, rehabilitation, and long-term planning amid the ongoing eviction drives along the banks of the Bakkhali River in Cox’s Bazar.
In a press release issued Saturday, the alliance said:
“The Bakkhali River is not just the lifeline of Cox’s Bazar; it sustains the entire coastal belt. Years of encroachment, pollution, and mismanagement have driven the river, once deeply connected to people’s livelihoods, culture, and environment, to the brink of extinction. Saving this river is no longer a choice but an urgent responsibility.”
The group stressed that demarcating the river’s boundaries, in line with the High Court’s directive, must be the first step. Without a clear demarcation, eviction drives will remain vague and risk creating fresh complications.
“Freeing the river from the grip of powerful encroachers is the only way to ensure true restoration,” the statement read.
At the same time, the alliance urged authorities to adopt a humane approach toward those who will be affected.
“We must guarantee proper rehabilitation, especially to the landless families living by the river out of sheer necessity.” Otherwise, this initiative will not only be an environmental issue but could also spark social conflict,” it added.
The group emphasized that eviction alone cannot save the river. What is needed is a long-term and sustainable plan—restoring the river’s natural flow, ensuring waste management, protecting biodiversity, and engaging local communities in the process.
“The goal should not just be to free the river physically, but to transform it into a healthy, living ecosystem,” the alliance said.
A recent survey conducted by the alliance reinforced this view. Among 17 respondents—educated professionals originally from Cox’s Bazar—13 (76%) supported unconditional eviction, while the remaining 24% expressed conditional support, stressing the need for rehabilitation.
“This shows that public sentiment and humanitarian concerns are equally important,” the statement noted.
The Dhaka-based Cox’s Bazar Community Alliance concluded: “The mission to save the Bakkhali is not merely an eviction drive—it is a collective pursuit of environmental justice and sustainable development.”
By Abdu Rashid Manik
Photo: Collected
