Dhaka, May 2 -- The Sutang River, flowing into Bangladesh from India, has long served as a vital resource for irrigation, transport, pottery, and daily use across Habiganj and its neighbouring areas.

The tributary, however, now teeters on the edge of ruin due to the unchecked discharge of industrial waste into its waters.

Farmers in Shayestaganj Upazila say the river has become so contaminated by untreated waste from unplanned factories in Olipur that its water now kills paddy plants when used for irrigation.

The once-life-giving river now runs thick with black, murky water, where neither fish nor aquatic life can survive.

Locals also complain that the polluted environment has made living near the river increasingly difficult.

A rece...