The draft National River Protection Commission Act, 2010 will be placed before the taskforce on river protection for scrutiny at its meeting at the shipping ministry today.

If enacted, the law will prevent river pollution, stop river grabbing and building structures on riverbanks across the country.

Following a High Court order last year, the taskforce in September this year formed a committee comprising representatives from Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, shipping ministry, forest and environment ministry, law ministry and water resources ministry for drafting the act.

The committee has completed the draft recently, and the shipping ministry has sent it to all the ministries concerned for recommendations.

"We will scrutinise the draft and the recommendations of different ministries. If the draft is approved, it will be sent to the law ministry for vetting and later to the cabinet for final approval,” said a taskforce member preferring anonymity.

According to the draft, the commission will have a chairman and five members.