A seminar on industrial pollution, river conditions and environmental risks was held at Habiganj Agricultural University-HAU.
The seminar took place at the university’s conference room on Thursday (December 18) at 3:00 pm.
The chief guest was Professor Dr Syed Sayem Uddin Ahmed, Vice-Chancellor of Habiganj Agricultural University. Professor Md Ikramul Wadud, President of the Advisory Council of Dharitree Rakhay Amara–Dhora, Habiganj, attended as the special guest. Sharif Jamil, Member Secretary of Dhora and Coordinator of Waterkeepers Bangladesh, was present as the guest of honor.
Among others, Professor Dr Md Jahangir Alam, Dean of the Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, along with teachers from various departments of Habiganj Agricultural University, attended the seminar.
The keynote paper was presented by Md Shakir Ahmed, Lecturer in the Department of Environmental Science at Habiganj Agricultural University.
He presented the findings of a study on microplastic pollution in the water and fish of the Sutang River.
The study revealed that between 6.67 and 46.6 microplastic particles per liter were found in the water of the Sutang River. Most of the microplastics were fragments and fibers, with sizes mainly ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 millimeters.
The study further noted that a total of 51 plastic particles were identified in the digestive tracts of 30 fish collected from the river, indicating an average of about 1.7 microplastic particles per fish. Larger fish were found to consume relatively more microplastics, which was linked to higher food intake and prolonged exposure to a polluted environment.
The analysis identified polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide (PA) and cellulose acetate (CA), indicating pollution primarily from plastic packaging and the textile industry.
Meanwhile, Khowai River Waterkeeper Tofazzal Sohel presented a paper on environmental pollution in the Habiganj region. He stated that the rivers and environment of Habiganj are under serious threat due to river encroachment, industrial waste discharge and unplanned urbanization.
Speakers at the seminar warned that microplastic pollution in rivers and aquatic environments could pose a serious threat to human health and biodiversity in the future. They expressed hope that such research would serve as an important basis for assessing the level of microplastic pollution in the country’s freshwater ecosystems. Press Release