Staff Reporter :
Experts in a seminar on Sunday said, Dhaka area based development work is the main cause of waterlogging in the metropolis.
They said, the grabbing of rivers, canals, low lying lands and other water bodies is causing serious water logging in every rainy season in and around the city.
Experts have called the government to give the responsibilities to army in order to recover Dhaka’s four rivers and 43 canals from grabbers, who will not bow to lesser power.
City Development Journalist Forum Bangladesh (CDJFB) organized the seminar at CIRDAP auditorium titled ‘The water logging in the city and the way to get rid of’.
The Chief Guest of the seminar MP Fazle Hossain Badsha, who is also Member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Local Government Affairs said, “We have found that major development works of the country are Dhaka based. It is the main factor for many problems including waterlogging.”
Badsha suggested recovering all rivers around Dhaka and city canals from grabbers will play key to get rid of waterlogging. He also asked for quick actions for decentralization of development work to resolve all burdens for the city.
Dhaka North City Corporaiton Panel Mayor Md. Jamal Mustafa said, “Where would we would dispose the rainy water from the city? The lower side of the Buriganga river is full of garbage. I have never seen the river being dredged. Turag and Balu river are in the grip of grabbers.”
He said there were 70 to 75 canals in the city, but existence of 43 canals is only noticeable. Those are captured by influential grabbers.
The government should give the army responsibility to recover all the rivers and canals of the city.
Amitosh Pal the President of CDJFB presided over the programme, and Matin Abdullah, General Secretary of CDJFB, moderated the seminar.
Khan Mohammad Belal, Chief Executive Officer of Dhaka South City Corporation, Superintendent Engineer of Dhaka North City Corporation Md. Sharif Uddin, DAP Director Asharul Islam, Director of Dhaka WASA, AKM Shahid Uddin, Urban expert Engineer M. Inamul Haque, BIP General Secretary Adil Muhammad Khan, Arla Murphy, the Country Director of Plan International, and NGO personality Fazlul Haque Chowdhury, among others, also gave speech.
