The Bangladesh government is formulating a new law to protect rivers, canals and other water bodies and flood-flow zones from encroachment. This law would be crucial because an existing law to protect playgrounds, open spaces, gardens and natural water bodies focuses only on the capital and other urban areas.
The Rivers, Canals, Flood-flow Zones and Water Body Preservation, Development, Recover and Encroachment Control Act 2004 would ban construction of any permanent structure within 50 metres of a river bank. It would give authorities legal power to remove encroachments and recover occupied lands. A cabinet committee is currently preparing the draft of the law.
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