STAFF CORRESPONDENT

At least 21,988 illegal occupiers of the country’s rivers have been identified nationwide, Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam told parliament yesterday.

Responding to a query from Munshiganj-1 lawmaker Md Abdullah during the question-and-answer session chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, the minister said the National River Protection Commission had updated the list of illegal occupiers on December 23, 2025.

Deputy commissioners had been asked to verify the list and submit eviction plans, after which eviction drives will be carried out, he added.

In response to a query from Mymensingh-6 lawmaker Kamrul Hasan, Rabiul said Bangladesh has a total of 1,415 rivers, according to the official list of rivers published on April 14, 2025, on the websites of the Ministry of Water Resources, Bangladesh Water Development Board, and the National River Protection Commission.

The list was prepared with the assistance of multiple agencies, including divisional commissioners, district administrations, and river workers, he added.