Summary
In 2016, the NGO Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh filed a writ petition with the Bangladesh High Court asking for the eviction of illegal encroachers upon the Turag River in Bangladesh and to halt any construction in the basin of the river. The court decided that the Turag River, along with all rivers in Bangladesh, has the status of a “legal person” in Bangladesh. The court explained that the rivers require protection and that illegal activities “must be stopped and the rivers should be made navigable again for the sake of protection of the river without any further delay.” Additionally, the court created a new commission to act as guardians.
Suggested Citation:
Kauffman, Craig, Catherine Haas, Alex Putzer, Shrishtee Bajpai, Kelsey Leonard, Elizabeth Macpherson, Pamela Martin, Alessandro Pelizzon & Linda Sheehan. Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. V2. 2026. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/rights-of-rivers-in-bangladesh/.
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