Bangladesh Supreme Court Upholds Rights of Rivers

By Mari Margil, Executive Director of the Center for Democratic and Environmental Rights

The rights of the rivers of Bangladesh have been upheld by the country’s Supreme Court.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh upheld the 2019 decision of the High Court (in Writ Petition № 13989) which declared that the Turag River and all other rivers in the country are “living entities” with rights as “legal persons.”

In this landmark decision, the National River Conservation Commission is declared “in loco parentis” for the rivers of Bangladesh, to protect and conserve them, and prevent pollution and encroachment. The Commission will serve as a guardian for the rivers, to ensure their rights and the riparian ecosystems are protected. Further, under the Bangladesh decision, the rights of the rivers may be enforced against both private and public (government) entities.