Prevent waterlogging in Dhaka South
Every year, as the monsoon arrives, many parts of both Dhaka South and Dhaka North experience waterlogging even after moderate rainfall. This year has been no exception. Numerous areas of Dhaka have already started to face waterlogging amid continuing rainfall. Dhaka South has been especially vulnerable as projects implemented by the ousted regime to address this issue have failed to produce satisfactory results. In 2023, for example, the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) identified 30 areas as highly prone to waterlogging, but has since failed to undertake any effective measures to mitigate the problem. This is because, rather than adopting a sustainable long-term strategy, DSCC largely relied on temporary solutions, such as using water pumps to remove water from the affected areas.
Reportedly, during the tenure of former mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, DSCC spent Tk 360 crore to tackle waterlogging. Of this amount, around Tk 100 crore was invested in improving the drainage system in Shantinagar and surrounding areas. Yet, severe waterlogging continues to affect these areas to this day. Several other projects initiated during the previous government's tenure are also ongoing but have had little impact. For a sustainable and permanent solution to Dhaka's waterlogging problems, the root causes must be addressed.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. As a 2024 study by the River and Delta Research Centre (RDRC) suggested, excavating only 15 of the occupied canals under both city corporations could potentially solve around 80 percent of the city's waterlogging. While we have seen some initiatives from DNCC to recover the encroached canals in the past few months, such efforts are not visible in DSCC areas. Meanwhile, various development projects are also contributing to waterlogging. According to a senior DSCC official, newly built structures in the Pilkhana area have blocked drainage lines, causing waterlogging in the New Market area, while the construction of the elevated expressway—which disrupted part of the Hatirjheel drainage system—is responsible for waterlogging in the Green Road area. If the authorities continue to undertake such projects without considering their environmental impacts, we will never be able to solve this problem for good.
It is imperative that the authorities preserve Dhaka's natural infrastructure and recover its lost water bodies, canals, and flood-flow zones as a matter of priority if they are really serious about solving the city's perennial waterlogging problem. For that, we need a long-term master plan. Both the DNCC and DSCC authorities must show their sincerity in working towards that goal.
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