The Shitalakhya River...a tributary of the Brahmaputra...has nearly become dead due to  industrial waste and chemical... hundreds of factories situated near the river are dumping garment factory waste, dyeing chemicals, polythene, printing, fertilisers, cement factory waste violating industrial and environmental laws...toxic water that goes down the drains from those factories finally end up in the river....Samir Chandra, now turned into boatman from fisherman, said around a decade ago people used to catch fish from the river and water bodies around it...A physician at Narsingdi Sadar Hospital said these toxic substances mixed in river water affect the health of the people and many are suffering many diseases including skin infections and diarrhoea.  Even domestic animals are affected due to toxic substances in river water, but no effective measures have been taken to improve the situation.