CCC must play the role expected of it

Chattogram city has long been grappling with a host of problems exacerbating the plight of its residents. Despite spending an estimated Tk 10,000 crore to address the waterlogging crisis over the past eight years, the city still goes under water during heavy rainfall. Its drains and canals remain clogged with waste, hampering the drainage system, while frequent flooding during monsoon often turns its open drains and canals deadly. Adding to the city's woes, there has been a sharp rise in mosquito-borne diseases this year. Against this backdrop, it is unfortunate to learn about the Chattogram City Corporation's (CCC) struggle to clean its 1,600-kilometre drainage network and 57 canals apparently due to a lack of modern machinery.

Reportedly, while the government has approved a long-pending CCC project to purchase essential equipment for this purpose, the approval came with a condition that 60 percent of the funding would come as a loan and 40 percent as a grant. Already burdened with debt, the CCC is reluctant to take on additional loans. The mayor argues that the organisation is a service-oriented body, not a commercial entity, and therefore should not be required to operate under commercial loan terms that involve paying interest. However, the government has urged the CCC to become more self-reliant and accept the loan.

While ideally the CCC should be a self-sustaining entity with its own sources of income, this is not the case in reality. It primarily carries out development activities with funds received from various projects, while only a small portion of its income comes from holding taxes and other sources. The CCC's ability to increase revenue or obtain grants is also dependent on the approval of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives. But the project in question being an important one for the city, we think the authorities should find a way to address funding shortages through proper discussion among the parties involved.

At the same time, the CCC must fulfil its responsibilities properly. Its inefficiency or neglect in carrying out basic duties—such as keeping the city clean, addressing the mosquito menace, covering open drains that frequently cause fatal accidents, and regularly cleaning drains and canals under its jurisdiction—is deeply unfortunate. The corporation also has a history of delaying development projects for indefinite periods, a practice that should no longer be tolerated. Experts have repeatedly criticised its failure to properly maintain the city's vital waterways and highlighted serious flaws in project implementation. Going forward, this must change. Moreover, the persistent lack of coordination among various government agencies, which continues to worsen the city's waterlogging problem, must be urgently addressed.