Editorial Evict the encroachers and re-excavate the riverbed Choked by encroachment, this channel of the Buriganga near Fatulla launch terminal in Narayanganj has become very risky for navigation of vessels. Dozens of lives were lost in riverine accidents in the area. The photo was taken recently. Photo: Rashed Shumon As far back as 2009, the High Court made a landmark judgement on saving the four rivers surrounding Dhaka by setting boundary pillars, evicting grabbers, dredging rivers and other steps. But these directives were totally disregarded resulting in indiscriminate filling of riverbeds with sand and earth to make way for construction of buildings. Finally in 2019 the HC declared rivers to be living beings with legal rights in case of harm. The High Court appointed the National River Protection Commission as the guardian of rivers and assigned it the responsibility of upholding the rights granted to rivers.