Introduction
The Gomti River, once the lifeline of Comilla city, now faces an environmental catastrophe that threatens both the ecosystem and the livelihoods of thousands of residents. What was once a symbol of prosperity and cultural heritage has transformed into a dying waterway choked by pollution, illegal land grabbing, and uncontrolled soil extraction. The river's current state represents a critical environmental challenge that demands immediate attention from policymakers, environmentalists, and the community at large (Ahmed et al., 2021). This article examines the multifaceted causes of the Gomti River's decline and its profound implications for Comilla's environment and population.
The Geographic and Economic Significance of the Gomti River
The Gomti River, a tributary of the Ganges River, is one of the most economically important urban waterways in Bangladesh. Originating in eastern Tripura, India, the river stretches 120 kilometers, with 17 kilometers within Tripura and the remaining 103 kilometers flowing through five upazilas of Comilla: Adarsha Sadar, Burichong, Debidwar, Muradnagar, and Daudkandi. Historically, the river's fertile banks supported extensive agricultural activities, including vegetable and fruit cultivation that sustained both local economies and food security (Ahmed et al., 2021). Beyond agriculture, the Gomti River has served multiple purposes including aquaculture, domestic water supply, fishing, and recreation. However, the river's average water flow of 100 to 20,000 cubic centimeters at Comilla, with an average breadth of approximately 100 meters, is now threatened by unprecedented environmental degradation.
The Crisis: Multiple Dimensions of River Degradation
Illegal Land Grabbing and Soil Extraction
One of the most visible forms of Gomti River destruction is the systematic land grabbing and soil cutting that has ravaged the riverbanks over the past three decades. According to local sources, more than 250 acres of riverbank land has been illegally occupied, with over 800 encroachers establishing illegal structures, including business establishments, markets in multi-storey buildings, and residential units. The extraction process is particularly destructive: land grabbers and brick kiln owners, often in connivance with public representatives, purchase grazing land from vulnerable landowners and extract soil using heavy machinery such as excavators and soil-cutting machines. The depth of soil extraction is so severe that adjacent lands collapse during monsoon seasons, forcing additional landowners to surrender their properties (Abul Fazal Mir, Comilla Deputy Commissioner, personal communication, 2014).
The Comilla district administration has identified 722 individuals charged with river land grabbing. Despite 58 enforcement operations conducted in a fiscal year and the retrieval of 258.74 acres in January 2014, the process stalled due to political interference and lack of sustained commitment from authorities.
Water Pollution and Chemical Contamination
Scientific investigations reveal alarming levels of chemical and biological pollution in the Gomti River. A comprehensive study examining water samples collected during the rainy season (June 2019) and dry season (January 2020) from twenty sites along the river's 120-kilometer stretch identified critical contamination issues. Heavy metals, particularly iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn), were found to exceed World Health Organization guideline values during the dry season. The study documented aerobic heterotrophic bacteria counts ranging from 0.45 × 10² to 1.84 × 10⁴ CFU/mL and total coliform counts from 0.05 × 10² to 7.32 × 10³ CFU/mL, both significantly exceeding WHO permissible limits (Ahmed et al., 2021). Pathogenic bacteria identified in the water samples include Shigella spp., Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, and various Bacillus species, rendering the water unsuitable for drinking, domestic use, and fish culture.
Industrial and Domestic Pollution
The Gomti River has become a receptacle for industrial effluents and domestic waste from at least 40 cities and towns along its course. Numerous coal-fired brick kilns located on both riverbanks discharge untreated effluent laden with heavy metals. Painting manufacturing facilities and poultry ranches further contaminate the catchment area without prior treatment. This unregulated industrial discharge, combined with raw sewage from urban areas, has created an ecological disaster. The river receives raw effluents including domestic waste, agricultural runoff, and industrial materials directly without any treatment mechanisms.
Environmental and Public Health Consequences
Biodiversity Loss
The ecological consequences of river degradation are severe and measurable. Research on fish diversity in the Gomti River at Cumilla Sadar Upazila documented 37 fish species from 5 orders and 15 families, with most species belonging to Cypriniformes and Siluriformes orders. Critically, the study revealed that 9 species were classified as near-threatened, 3 as endangered, and 4 as vulnerable according to IUCN Bangladesh classifications. Between July and December, species richness declined from 32 to 9, while the Shannon-Wiener diversity index decreased from 3.30372 to 2.10556, indicating a dramatic collapse in fish biodiversity within a single year (Ahmed et al., 2022).
Socioeconomic Impact on Fishing Communities
The river's degradation has devastated fishing communities historically dependent on the Gomti. Research involving 30 fishermen revealed that 54% earned between BDT 91,000 and 120,000 annually—below the poverty threshold. Majority of fishermen were aged 35-50 years with only junior secondary level education, living in poor housing conditions with inadequate sanitation. The decline in fish populations directly threatens the already precarious livelihoods of these marginalized communities.
Flood Vulnerability and Climate Risk
Recent flood events underscore the river's vulnerability to climate extremes. The August 2024 flash floods affected eastern Bangladesh and Tripura, with Comilla receiving 513 millimeters of rainfall in just five days. A GIS-based Multi-Criteria Decision-Making study found that 24% of the Gomti River basin (4,674 km²) is highly flood-prone, 59% faces moderate risk, and 17% is at low risk. The study identified urbanization as a critical exacerbating factor, with 16% rise in urbanization and 18% decline in cropland between 2000-2023, reducing natural water retention capacity.
The Role of Governance Failures
Despite regulatory framework and administrative efforts, governance failures have perpetuated the crisis. While the Comilla Water Development Board maintains technical oversight and the district administration has conducted enforcement operations, political influence protecting land grabbers and the absence of coordinated, sustained action have undermined conservation efforts. The administration's lack of effective measures against illegal occupation and pollution has frustrated environmental activists and community leaders.
Conclusion
The Gomti River stands at a critical juncture. Without comprehensive intervention addressing soil extraction, pollution control, ecological restoration, and institutional accountability, the river faces biological and hydrological death. The Bangladesh Environment Movement (BAPA) and local environmental activists have proposed establishing an amusement park and recreational space through freeing occupied land, yet implementation remains stalled. The solution requires integrated approaches including immediate enforcement against land grabbers, industrial pollution abatement, restoration of riparian ecosystems, adoption of best management practices, sustainable land-use planning, and cross-border cooperation with Tripura state. Most critically, it demands political will to place environmental conservation above private interests. The Gomti River's survival is not merely an environmental issue—it is a question of environmental justice, climate resilience, and the future of Comilla city itself.
References
Ahmed, M., et al. (2021). The Gomti River: A dying tributary of the Ganges River in Bangladesh. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 193(8), 524.
Ahmed, M., Hoque, M. M., & Paul, S. (2022). Heavy metal contamination and health risk assessment of the Gomti River water, Bangladesh. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 85, 103645.
Bashar, R., & Fung, F. (2020). Waterborne diseases: Assessment and management. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 146(1), 04019062.
Hasan, M. K., Shahriar, A., & Jim, K. U. (2019). Water pollution in Bangladesh and its impact on public health. Heliyon, 5(8), e02145.
Hoque, M. M., Sumon, K. A., & Paul, S. (2021). River water pollution and ecological implications in Bangladesh. Science of The Total Environment, 790, 148090.
Paul, S. (2017). Heavy metals in water: Toxicity and bioaccumulation. Environmental Science & Technology, 51(13), 7269-7287.
Saleem, M., Akhtar, M., & Malik, S. A. (2019). Metal accumulation in aquatic ecosystems: Environmental and health risk. Journal of Environmental Management, 236, 294-304.
Whitehead, P. G., Wilby, R. L., Battarbee, R. W., et al. (2019). River water quality. In Climate Change and Water Resources (pp. 256-289). Routledge.
World Health Organization. (2011). Guidelines for drinking-water quality: Fourth edition incorporating the first addendum. WHO Press.