Overview of the event: Waterkeepers Bangladesh (WKB) consortium is currently implementing a robust anti-pollution advocacy project to monitor water, air and noise pollution in Dhaka city. WKB Consortium is implementing the project in collaboration with USAID, FCDO and Counterpart International. The project planned to organize nine river talkies as part of advocacy activity. A river talkie was organized in an unique place at the confluence of the river Turag and Buriganga. Hazaribag Tannery Park is very close to spot. This river talkie was a talk show program, which was staged on a small island and broadcasted live. The show is expected to bring river pollution into the main stream policy discussion involving various sectors and professions. The talk will help adding values to the overall advocacy campaign. The show was broadcasted live on 8th June from 1.00 – 1.40 pm from a small island at the confluence of Buriganga and Turag, Bosila. The show was broadcasted live on WKB Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/waterkeepers…) and Nodi Tv’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/noditvbd/) . There was total of 47 participants at the show comprising of 5 females and 42 males. The participant profile covered CSO and CBO leaders, scholars, community members, media and private sectors. The show was covered by electronic and print media. A total of seven electronic and print media published news about the show. As per Facebook analytics, the show was viewed by more than twelve hundred viewers till date and shared twenty-two times. This illustrates the success of the show and how well it was received by the audience. The twelve hundred views that the talkie has received is purely organic as there no boosting done. The topic for the first river talkie was “Urbanization of Dhaka along the Riverbanks”. WKB consortium lead Sharif Jamil anchored the show. He welcomed and briefed about the concept of the river talkie and project. The river talkie show had two guests namely Dr. Adil Mohammed Khan, General Secretary, Bangladesh Institute of Planners and Planner Saraf Anjum Disha, Senior Research Analyst, Innovations for Poverty Actions, Bangladesh. In addition, two discussants represented the community, one was Gedu Mia, CBO representative of the boat association and another one was CBO leader, Mr Manik Hossain. Dr. Adil Mohammed Khan shared his view on urbanization of Dhaka city along the rivers. While Planner Saraf Anjum Disha spoke about importance of river planning involving the community. Mr Manik Hossain portrayed his own experience of Buriganga’s encroachment by power plant and pollution by tannery. Gedu Mia shared his personal experience of how livelihoods of fishermen and boatmen are affected by the tannery pollution of Buriganga. Sharif Jamil summed up the show with urging the community and people of Dhaka city to come forward in protecting the rivers.
River Talkies 1: Urbanization of Dhaka along the Riverbanks.
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