The Karnaphuli river and the Bay of Bengal are now in danger due to environmental pollution. Chittagong, the commercial capital of Bangladesh, is by the side of the river Karnaphuli.. The Karnaphuli river is the harbor entrance from the Bay of Bengal. The Chittagong Port is the main port of our country. Everyday a number of local and foreign commercial ships, oil tankers, fishing boats and other naval transportation anchored and sail through the Karnaphuli river.

The pollution of the Karnaphuli and the Bay of Bengal is alarming. A lot of industries have grown up on the both sides of the river Karnaphuli. Amidst them there are tanneries, textile mills, rubber factories, garments factories, soap, steel, paper, aluminum, fertilizer, fish processing factories etc. Daily a large number of industrial wastes carried out from the factories to the Karnaphuli and then to the Bay of Bengal making an environmental threat. The main polluted substances that are mixing with the water are Mercury (Hg), Na2104, Na2s, NaOH, Chlorine, Nitrogen, Chromium, Arsenic, poisonous amino acid, and other poisonous materials. The density of the Chromium of the surface water of the Bay of Bengal is 2.20 PPm, which is quite alarming. Besides Hg, Cd, Pb, Fal are found in a extreme margins than the normal. Chlorine and Hg are threat to the fishes and other living things in the seawater. Even the chemicals destroy the own purification capacity of the water.

The main other sources of pollution are the dumping wastes that carried out from the city, and the chemical fertilizer used to cultivate. Daily more than 480 ton wastes carried out thorough the seven canals, and various drains towards the Karnaphuli. From these wastes DDT and other chemical spreads to the water; and they are so harmful that destroy the photosynthesis capability of lichen, phytoplankton, which had a direct affect on the ecosystem. Besides polythene bags, PVC rope, and other plastic materials are polluting the sea.

Another major hazard for the Karnaphuli and the Bay of Bengal is oil pollution. Every year more than 50 oil tankers and 1,500 of commercial ships anchored at the Karnaphuli harbor. The oil refiner companies collect the oil through pump machine directly from the tankers. Thus a huge amount of oils sleeks by the oil tankers. The other major cause of oil sleeks is 'ship breaking industry' where also a large portion of oil sleeks. Besides that, some accidental cases of oil tankers or other ships and sometimes the foreign ships dump waste at the Bay of Bengal make the case worsen.

The result of oil pollution is now that the fishes and other sea species are now endangered. Oil that floats on the surface of the water made an obstacle reaching out the sunlight through the water. As a result photosynthesis cannot be performed that is the main cause of the death of the fishes and larva. The continuous process of this pollution is making the Karnaphuli and Bay of Bengal in a great threat, which would turn a great environmental hazard in our country. Moreover, 25,000 fishermen are dependent on the Bay of Bengal who are already losing their earnings and found them jobless.

We have to be cautious to stop the water pollution of Karnaphuli and the Bay of Bengal, otherwise very soon it will be out of control. This year the slogan of the world environment day was "Wanted! Seas and Oceans, Dead or Alive!" The government of Bangladesh has taken some initiatives to preserve the environment, as well as, the coastal areas. These should be implemented as soon as possible. But these steps are not enough; the government has to plan rationally before taking any initiatives. Moreover the other social organizations, NGOs and the mass people have to come forward to face the pollution of the Karnaphuli and the Bay of Bengal.