The Buriganga along with other rivers in Dhaka is dying out due to continued encroachments, and acute pollution caused by dumping of industrial waste. As per the suggestions and the demands made by environmentalists and green activists, the past governments had taken initiatives from time to time in a bid to save the rivers from encroachers and polluters but in vain. In 2003, the then government formed a task force to save the Buriganga, Turag, Balu and Sitalakhya and took some decisions, including eviction of the encroachers.