Dhaka, March 24 -- The Surma River, flowing through the Sylhet city, is getting alarmingly polluted due to indiscriminate dumping of waste by the people in general.

Small traders, wholesalers and others in the large markets of the divisional city are causing most of the pollution.

At least 20 places on the riverbank in the city have been turned into dumping grounds by the townspeople.

Among them are prominent Kazirbazar, Kalighat, Beterbazar and Kanishail where the city's wholesale fish and grocery markets are located.

Dumpling of garbage makes the entire area unwholesome with bad odours spreading all the time. Director of the Department of Environment Md Emran Hossain said, "We have launched severs drives and cleaned the Surma River ...