Factory accused of polluting, grabbing river receives green award 

A factory in Gazipur's Sreepur, accused of grabbing and polluting Labolong River, has been awarded the Green Factory Award, sparking widespread backlash. 

Environmental groups have condemned the move, calling for the withdrawal of the award and legal action against those responsible.

The Green Factory Award is given for environmentally friendly production and sustainable industrial practices. The factory of X Ceramics Limited in Sreepur, Gazipur, received the award as recognition for "not polluting the environment and other commendable practices". 

Ironically, X Ceramics is one of the factories responsible for encroaching and polluting the Labolong river. X Ceramics, established in 2009, allegedly built on 75 bighas of land by grabbing on both banks of the river, dumping solid and liquid waste directly into the waterway.

On 24 June, the award was handed over during a ceremony at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka. The chief guest was the labour ministry Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) M Sakhawat Hossain. Special guests included advisers to the industries ministry and the housing and public works ministry.

The awarded factory has long been in the spotlight for grabbing and polluting the Labolong River, which was once known as the "Labolong Sea." Due to encroachment and pollution, it has now been reduced to a narrow canal.

The award has drawn sharp criticism from environmental groups in Sreepur, Gazipur, and Dhaka. Fifteen organisations issued a joint statement on Sunday demanding the award's withdrawal and action against the polluting factory.

The organisations include Bela, Bapa, Bangladesh River Foundation, Green Voice, and others. They demanded the land taken from the river be returned and the polluters held accountable. They also called for a transparent and proper award selection process.

On Monday,  four environmental organisations submitted a memorandum to the labour ministry, protesting the awarding of the factory.

The signatory organisations include the Bangladesh Nodi Poribrajok Dol, River and Nature Foundation, Sreepur Sahittya Parishad, and the Sreepur Upazila Committee for the Prevention of Corruption.

In the memorandum claims X Ceramics encircled both sides of the river and choked it with untreated industrial waste, disrupting the river's flow and submerging upstream cropland under toxic water. 

Multiple government authorities have previously found the factory responsible for environmental violations. Despite these findings, the organisation was still awarded, which the environmentalists argue sends a dangerous signal.

The activists also clarified that they are not opposed to industrial growth. "We welcome industries that protect the environment and act responsibly. But honouring violators undermines public trust and policy credibility," it said.

Locals say the river, which flows for 29 km and connects with the Turag River, once supported boat navigation and was celebrated in literature. Due to long-standing negligence and the lack of proper demarcation or dredging, the river has lost its flow and ecological vitality.

The River and Delta Research Centre (RDRC) has found the Labolong to be one of the most polluted rivers in the country. Its water is pitch black, toxic, and unusable for farming or livestock. No aquatic life survives there.

Local environmentalists and community members claim they've long suffered from X Ceramics' impact, including declining crop yields and public health issues. Despite court findings and reports from the Department of Environment confirming encroachment and pollution, the factory was still awarded.

Environmental leaders have labelled the award a mockery. Bapa's General Secretary Alomgir Kabir said, "It is an insult to those fighting for the environment and demanded immediate withdrawal." 

Saeed Chowdhury, President of the Bangladesh River Travellers' Group, Sreepur branch, said, "X Ceramics, the destroyer of our lifeline Labolong River in Sreepur, has received the Green Factory Award! We strongly condemn this." 

He questioned who were on the award's selection committee. "How did a factory that rendered thousands of bighas of farmland unfit for cultivation, endangered our environment and biodiversity, and has a pending case in the High Court receive the Green Factory Award?" he asked.

A High Court bench had issued a rule in July 2023 questioning why action wouldn't be taken to protect the river. Respondents include the managing directors of the accused factories, various government ministries and agencies, and local government officials.

After the ouster of Awami League regime on 5 August last year, efforts to restore the river – like defining boundaries, evicting illegal occupants, and dredging – have been initiated under a $1.4 million project by the Bangladesh Water Development Board.

Local officials at the Department of Environment (DoE) confirmed evidence of pollution and encroachment by X Ceramics. 

Md Arefin Badal, deputy director of Gazipur (DoE), said, "The Green Factory Award was given by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. As soon as it came to the attention of our higher authorities, a delegation from the Department of Environment visited the X Ceramics factory. Several instances of river encroachment and pollution were found there. A report regarding this has been sent to the environment ministry."

He further stated that X Ceramics has a pending application for an environmental clearance certificate, which has been put on hold.

Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Nafisa Arefin acknowledged the factory's record of river pollution but said her office was not consulted about the award. 

Mahar Ali Mollah, deputy inspector general of Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, Tangail, said a committee had verified the factory's application before awarding it, but the ministry is now reviewing the matter following the backlash.

AHM Shafiquzzaman, secretary of the labour and employment ministry, told TBS, "The matter concerning this company came to our attention, and an investigation is underway. If it is indeed proven to be a polluter, legal action will be taken."

X Index, the parent company of X Ceramics, denied the allegations. 

Head of Peoples Management Anwar-uz-Zaman claimed digital land surveys conducted by the Sreepur administration did not show any encroachment.