Describing the environment as the most neglected cause in the country over the years, the business leaders demanded the government to build central effluent treatment plants (CETP) on a priority basis at different industrial clusters. They also demanded long-term loans with low interest and withdrawal of taxes on chemicals used in treatment plants while the members of special parliamentary standing committee on forest and environment ministry led by Saber Hossain Chowdhury joined a discussion session of Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (MCCI) yesterday. MCCI announced they would not make any environment polluter their member. Describing the dire situation of surface water and ground water in and around the capital, Saber said if the present situation continues, the Dhaka city will have to be abandoned in a decade. He referred to some measures taken in India in recent years following their High Court directives to the Indian government. "We need to do something for the business community and country's environment to be in a win-win situation," he said. MCCI President Abdul Hafiz in his speech said the business community is conscious that the river system of the country is a victim of industrial growth. However, he said, problems created over many years cannot be resolved in a few months and blamed the government for neglecting environmental issues. He urged the government to implement the directives the HC spelled out recently to save the rivers. Ghyas Uddin Ahmed, a lawmaker, said the rivers around the city have become septic tanks and it is time for all to work to address the problem. In his speech Zafar Osman, president of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industries said, government and the business community should discuss the problem in a positive way so that a possible solution may come out. Salam Murshedy, president of Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said the government should promptly provide long-term soft loan to the industrialists to set up ETPs. Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association President Fazlul Hoque termed the polluter industrialists culprits and demanded that the department of environment officials should monitor their corrupt deeds. Abdul Hai Sarker, president of Bangladesh Textiles Association, said if the government sets up central ETPs then they could pay for them as they do to other utility service providers. Referring the HC verdict to set up ETPs by February 2010, Saiful Islam, secretary of the Leather Goods Manufacturers and Footwear Association and Syed Nasim Manzur, vice president of MCCI, said the government should discuss with the tannery factory owners to resolve their problem. Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star, also spoke at the meet held at MCCI auditorium, Dhaka. Emphasising the need for both healthy environment and proper industrialisation, Mahfuz Anam said, "But at the moment we do not have time to wait any more. We need to act now if we want to keep our city livable." He also suggested that the government should address the problem of businessmen specially those involved in tannery industry so that they can smoothly shift their factories to Savar from Hazaribagh. Golam Sabur, another member of special parliamentary committee on the forest and environment that is working to find a way to stop river pollution and report to the government, was also present at the occasion.