THE Kamaphuli river is dying. Over the years the rampant occupation of its shores and mindless pollution have left the river by the port city in this sorry state. According to a 2015

study, there are 2,500 illegal structures on the Kamaphuli between Chittagong city and the estuary of the river. Many of the illegal structures are factories that dump untreated toxic waste straight into the river. Many vessels are also beached on the banks and repaired or dismantled. All this has resulted in the shrinking of the river and its water turning black. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das