Most of the rivers in the district are heading towards virtual death as the riverbeds remain waterless for nearly half of the year.

There is some water flow in a few places, but it is so polluted that it cannot be used for any purpose, including irrigation, and vehicles are seen crossing the dried up riverbeds.

The main rivers that cross the district are Jamuna, Dhaleshwari, Jhinai, Bongshi, Louhajang, Langulia, Fatikjani, Elongjani, Bairan and Pungli (New Dhaleshwari).

The rivers were full of a variety of fishes while vessels of all sizes plied the rivers that had ample flow throughout the year about three decades ago, senior residents said.

Vessels laden with jute came to the ghats, including Elasin ghat on the Dhaleshwari river in Delduar upazila and Nolin ghat in Gopalpur upazila, as there were many government and non-governmental jute

purchase centres there.

But all these are past stories and now only some small engine boats can ply the same rivers during the dry season. As only a little water is available for about six months, the river transportation system in the district is in disorder.

Most rivers in the district have silted up as they cannot carry silt too far due to reduction in their flow, said former water expert of United Nations engineer SI Khan.

Water flow in the Jamuna river has reduced a lot due to withdrawal of water from upstream, he said.

The situation has affected other rivers in the district, including the Dhaleswari, which have also silted up and their water containing capacity has decreased greatly, he said.

“India has already constructed, and is constructing, at least six dams in different places upstream of Teesta river, including in

Gozaldoba. As they have redirected water flow to other places by constructing dams on the sub-rivers (upa nodi), the water flow has reduced in the main rivers (mul nodi) Teesta, Brahmaputra and Jamuna," Khan said.

"If we get 50 percent share of Teesta water, and if we can reduce the cross sections of the rivers to get faster water flow, the rivers in the district will revive," he added.

Fishermen and boatmen, who are mainly dependent on the rivers for their livelihood, are direct victims of drying up of the rivers. There are very few fish as their sanctuaries have been destroyed.

District Water Development Board (WDB) Executive Engineer Shajahan Siraj said there are many rivers, canals and water bodies (beels) in the district and they play a vital role in protecting the environment.

The Dhaleshwari, New Dhaleswari, Louhajang, Elongjani and Jhinai are silted up every year and their courses are changed

due to indiscriminate lifting of silt, earth and sand, he said.

The Buriganga Dredging Project was taken as a priority project of the office of the prime minister to ensure free water flow from Jamuna river to Buriganga river through Pungli river, he said.

The work will start soon as the work order has been given for dredging the river, he added.

"Although most of the rivers in Tangail are dying, no step has been taken to save them. Besides losing navigability, the rivers are victims of mindless pollution and grabbing by influential quarters," said environmental activist Masudur Rahman Rana.

Deputy Commissioner Khan Mohammad Nurul Amin said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken short, mid and long term plans to protect the rivers, canals and water bodies in the country, he said.