Relief in Sight for Families in Hazaribagh

“The best thing one can do to secure the future of her children is to leave behind a livable earth – a place that allows us to breathe, dream, evolve, assist and when necessary, resist.” Rizwana Hasan
	PHOTO COURTESY OF: Tom Dusenbery on behalf of the Goldman Environmental Prize

The Bangladesh High Court has ruled that more than 1,000 polluting tanneries and other industries in Bangladesh will be closed if they do not put pollution control systems in place by February 2010.

"The people of Hazaribagh have been complaining about the tanneries for so long that they almost gave up hope.  They will celebrate when the pollution stops,” says Rizwana Hasan, Executive Director of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA).

“The ground water is contaminated and lung disease, intestinal disease, and chronic skin conditions are common,” says Rizwana.  “The Burignaga River, which flows through Dhaka, is so contaminated that it has been declared ‘biologically dead.’”

BELA filed the original case in 1994.  In 2001, the High Court ordered existing factories to install pollution control devices and that no new industry be set up without pollution control systems in place. A recent report from the Bangladesh Department of Environment showed that 478 factories in the Hazaribagh area, including 183 tanneries, are still operating without effluent treatment plants.

Rizwana and her organization have taken on Bangladesh’s most notorious polluters and this is another example of their great work.

In April, Rizwana was awarded a 2009 Goldman Environmental Prize for her work defending laborers in the shipbreaking industry and for helping to ensure that Bangladesh doesn’t continue to be a dumping ground for the world’s polluted ships.

In September, TIME Magazine honored Rizwana with a 2009 Hero of the Environment award.  ELAW partners from Sri Lanka, Spain, Belize, Mexico, India, Guatemala, Slovakia and Colombia sent congratulations through the ELAW network.

Carla Garcia Zendejas from Mexico wrote: “Marvelous to read about your great work on behalf of these young men.  It is always the issue of jobs, and improving quality of life, but we cannot forego the health and safety of people whose lives will be cut short because of these terrible working conditions.  Bravo my dear!”

Congratulations Rizwana and everyone at BELA for this inspiring work!