DistantNews
🇧🇩 Bangladesh /Energy & Infrastructure

Chattogram Waterlogging Persists Despite Massive Infrastructure Projects

From Daily Star · (6m ago) English Critical tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Residents of Chattogram, Bangladesh, are suffering from severe waterlogging following the first heavy rains of the season, a recurring problem despite numerous government projects.
  • At least four major projects worth over Tk 13,000 crore are underway by the Chattogram Development Authority, Water Development Board, and Chattogram City Corporation, but none are completed, with deadlines repeatedly extended.
  • Experts cite inadequate planning and weak feasibility studies as reasons for the project delays and ongoing waterlogging issues, with some projects now expected to finish as late as June 2027.

Chattogram, the nation's primary seaport, continues to grapple with the persistent menace of waterlogging, a problem that has plagued its residents for years. Despite the monsoon season's arrival and the subsequent inundation of low-lying areas, the city's infrastructure projects, designed to alleviate this very issue, remain incomplete.

Despite repeated assurances from authorities, residents of Chattogram continued to suffer from waterlogging as the first heavy rainfall of the season submerged low-lying areas of the port city on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Setting the scene of the ongoing waterlogging crisis.

The scale of the problem is immense, with multiple large-scale projects, collectively valued at over Tk 13,000 crore, being implemented by key authorities like the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), the Water Development Board (WDB), and the Chattogram City Corporation (CCC). However, the repeated extensions of project deadlines, some now stretching to 2026 and 2027, raise serious questions about the efficacy and management of these initiatives.

According to officials, at least four major projects worth over Tk 13,000 crore are currently being implemented by the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), the Water Development Board (WDB), and the Chattogram City Corporation (CCC).

Detailing the scale of infrastructure projects aimed at solving waterlogging.

Experts and residents alike point to a critical lack of foresight in planning and inadequate feasibility studies as the root cause of these persistent delays. While officials assure that projects are nearing completion and that quick response teams are managing immediate drainage, the reality on the ground paints a different picture. The sight of submerged streets after mere hours of rainfall is a stark testament to the ongoing failure to provide lasting solutions.

Experts say inadequate planning and weak feasibility studies have undermined many of these initiatives.

Providing expert opinion on the reasons for project failures.

From a local perspective, this recurring waterlogging is more than just an inconvenience; it disrupts daily life, damages property, and impacts the city's economic vitality. The contrast between the significant investment in these projects and the continued suffering of the populace highlights a disconnect that needs urgent attention. While international coverage might focus on the engineering challenges, for Chattogram's citizens, it's about reclaiming their city from the relentless grip of water.

Project officials claim most of the work has been completed, with only two canals still under construction.

— Lt Md Mohsinul Haque ChowdhuryDirector of the army-led waterlogging project, providing an update on a specific project.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Daily Star in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog