Who Is Waterkeeper: Tofazzal Sohel, Khowai River Waterkeeper
By: Thomas Hynes
Ever since childhood, Tofazzal Sohel has been involved in his community, advocating for both his fellow members of the community, as well as their shared environment. Tofazzal grew up on the banks of the Khowai River. It was there that he developed a natural bond with the waterway.
“The river shaped my childhood. It is where communities gathered, where markets grew, and where life thrived,” says Toffazal. “But as I grew older, I saw it changing. Pollution, encroachment, and neglect slowly began damaging the river.”
The combination of his childhood and the urgency of protecting the river’s future inspired Tofazzal to act. In 2011, Tofazzal learned about the work of Buriganga Riverkeeper, Sharif Jamil. It resonated with Tofazzal, and a few short years later, in 2014, he formed Khowai River Waterkeeper and officially joined Waterkeeper Alliance.
The Khowai is a transboundary river that originates in the hills of Tripura, India and runs for about 100 miles into the nation of Bangladesh and through Habiganj, Tofazzal’s hometown. In the 1970s, the river split into two parts to save Habiganj from frequent flooding. This resulted in a beautiful water body inside Habiganj district town, known as ‘Old Khowai,’ in addition to the current Khowai River. 
“For me, the Khowai and Old Khowai rivers are not just waterways. They are part of my daily life. There is something beautiful for the life it carries: The boats are floating, fishermen at work, children swimming,” says Tofazzal. ‘The river is alive. It breathes, it flows, it witnesses our joys and sorrows. Standing on its banks, I often feel as though the river is speaking to me, sharing its pain but also its resilience. Life in my region is inseparable from Khowai. If the river survives, our people survive. That truth drives me.”
Unfortunately, the rivers and local environment are in danger. According to Toffazal, there are many threats. For example, sand and soil are being recklessly extracted. This changes the river’s course and leads to an encroachment of its banks. Many buildings are constructed grabbing river’s land and often leading to increased amounts of pollution into the water.
There are also cross-border challenges, including the Chakmaghat Barrage, a low head dam upstream in India that restricts water flow, only to unleash sudden floods when the gates are opened during heavy rains. These deluges can destroy homes, crops, and entire communities.
Finally, there is a failure of governance. Put another way, there are plenty of laws on paper to protect rivers, but enforcement is weak. Factories rise on fertile farmland where they shouldn’t be, dumping untreated waste into waterways. Even the Old Khowai, once vital for rainwater drainage, is now encroached, narrowed, or vanished in places.
“But there is hope. People are waking up. They are becoming more aware of protecting rivers and water. Awareness is growing,” says Tofazzal. “More and more, communities are standing beside us, ready to defend the river. That strength keeps me going.”
A great deal of that awareness is due to Tofazzal’s years of advocacy and hard work. He has worked with the local government to remove many illegal structures from the banks of the Khowai. He led a delegation to discuss the crisis caused by unplanned sand mining. Recently, in commemoration of Waterkeeper Alliance’s 25th Anniversary, Tofazzal led a tree-planting initiative to help ‘green’ the riverside. He regularly organizes programs such as bicycle rallies to demand climate justice, citizens meetings, youth art competitions, human chains, river inspections, boat races, and clean ups.
All of this work has earned Tofazzal the respect and trust of his community. It has also earned him recognition from his fellow Waterkeepers. At the 2024 Waterkeeper Alliance Global Water Conference in Milwaukee, Tofazzal was given the Terry Backer Award, an honor reserved for Waterkeepers who exemplify the spirit and dedication necessary to protecting and defending everyone’s right to clean water. Appropriately, the award was presented to Tofazzal by Sharif Jamil.
Reflecting on the honor, Tofazzal remarked, “I was deeply honored to receive this recognition of nearly two decades of activism and over a decade as Khowai River Waterkeeper. It is a great honor to have my work recognized at such a level. This award not only validates the years of sacrifice and commitment but also motivates me to continue the fight to protect our rivers. We have a responsibility to future generations to safeguard these essential water bodies. This award is a reminder that our fight matters, and that we must keep going.”
There is no doubt that Tofazzal will keep going in this endeavor. He would love to see the Khowai River restored to its natural flow. He hopes to see his community free from pollution and encroachment. Ultimately, he wants there to be healing, to course correct some past mistakes into a cleaner and healthier future, and rekindle the bond between people and nature.
“Rivers are not just water. The importance of the rivers in the overall life of humans is immense,” says Tofazzal. “Rivers are the lifelines of Bangladesh, the world’s largest delta. Working with the Waterkeeper Alliance has shown me just how connected these struggles are across the globe.”