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🇧🇩 Bangladesh /Environment & Climate

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From Daily Star · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • A Tk 823 crore drainage improvement project in Khulna city has failed to mitigate persistent waterlogging issues despite significant investment over seven years.
  • Plastic and other waste clog the city's drainage canals, obstructing water flow and exacerbating the problem, with daily waste generation exceeding collection capacity.
  • Experts call for a coordinated approach involving stricter regulations, improved waste management, modern technology, and public awareness to address the issue effectively.

Khulna city continues to grapple with severe waterlogging during the monsoon season, rendering roads submerged and neighborhoods inaccessible, even after a substantial Tk 823 crore drainage improvement project. Undertaken by the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) over the past seven years, the project aimed to construct 169 new drains, excavate and rehabilitate canals, and renovate existing drainage infrastructure. Officials report that approximately Tk 750 crore worth of work has been completed.

A drain near his house, opposite Navy Colony, remains clogged with plastic waste and bottles throughout the year.

— Kamal AhmedDescribing the persistent clogging of drainage systems in Khulna city.

Despite these efforts, chronic waterlogging persists, largely due to plastic and other waste clogging the drainage canals. Residents like Kamal Ahmed and Alam Sheikh describe drains near their homes remaining blocked with waste throughout the year, with occasional cleanings proving ineffective. The KCC acknowledges that a significant portion of the city's nearly 1,205-kilometer drainage network is partially or completely blocked by polythene, plastic, and other solid waste.

People often discard plastic and other waste into the drains, while the KCC also does not clean drains regularly. After rains, the waste obstructs water flow, leaving roads submerged.

— Alam SheikhExplaining how public waste disposal habits contribute to waterlogging.

Khulna generates an estimated 1,200-1,250 tonnes of waste daily, but the KCC can only collect about 800-850 tonnes. The remaining waste enters canals and drains, obstructing inlets and reducing the system's capacity. Experts like Gouranga Nandy and Professor Abdullah Harun Chowdhury emphasize the need for a multi-faceted solution. They advocate for stronger enforcement of plastic regulations, improved waste collection services, investment in modern drain-cleaning technology, greater producer responsibility, and sustained public awareness campaigns. Md Anisur Rahman, chief conservancy officer of KCC, noted the challenges posed by manual cleaning of covered drains and the constant influx of plastic waste, stating that without public cooperation in waste disposal, the problem cannot be fully resolved.

We are cleaning drains regularly, but plastic and polythene waste are causing major obstacles to our work.

— Md Anisur RahmanHighlighting the challenges faced by the Khulna City Corporation in managing drainage.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Daily Star. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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