<p>This article investigates industrial environmental crime along the Karnaphuli River in Bangladesh through the lenses of Green Criminology and the Legal Personhood of Nature. Using a qualitative case study design, it draws on interviews with key stakeholders, field observations across three industrial zones, and analysis of national and regional newspaper reports. The findings show that persistent pollution is sustained by a state–industry nexus, weak enforcement, and discursive practices that frame environmental harm as routine “pollution” rather than crime. Political pressure and institutional constraints further limit regulatory accountability. While the Bangladeshi courts have recognised rivers as legal persons, this status remains weakly operationalised in practice. The study argues that conceptualising environmental destruction as crime and strengthening independent enforcement institutions are essential for advancing ecological accountability. By situating environmental harm within postcolonial governance dynamics, the article contributes empirically and theoretically to debates in Southern Green Criminology.</p>