Badrul Ahsan with Sarwaruddin, Chittagong Bureau :
Civic life of the port city Chittagong mostly paralysed following the month-long incessant monsoon rains coupled with excessive release of preserved water from Kaptai Hydro Electric project dam and high tide in the sea due to global warming.
Besides, poor quality of capital dredging in the rivers and cannels and absence of sluice gates in the origin points of cannels also blamed for the deteriorating situation.
Although the situation worsens during the rainy season, most parts of the city also stay under water for hours every day even in dry season due to tidal effect of the sea and in absence of any preventive measures by the government to manage the water.
According to victims of different residential and commercial areas like Khatungonj, Bahaddar Hatt, Chandgaon, Chaktai, Pathar Ghata, Bakulia, Halis Sahar and Agrabad stay under water for hours almost every day during tide in the sea.
They also said that new areas of the city being added to the situation gradually.
The worsening situation has long been seriously hampering business, education and other regular activities of people in the port city.
Businesses and residents of the city said rising of water level in the sea and absence of capital dredging of rivers and cannels are the main reasons behind the situation.
“Khatungonj is the main business centre of Chittagong but now-a-days it remains under ankle-deep to waist deep water for three to five hours every day. Can you say how we can continue our business in such a situation,” Delip Kumar, a hole-seller of the area told The New Nation on Thursday.
“If the government would take step for capital dredging and build sluice gate in different origin points of cannels then the situation could be brought under control. But it seems that there is none to look after the sorrows of the city dwellers,” he added.
“If the government doesn’t take steps to bring the situation under control than the whole city might be paralysed within the next five years,” he cautioned.
“Most of the parts of the city go under water and people of the areas remain stranded for several hours even in the dry season. Our regular activities have been seriously hampered,” Sultana Sahida Akhter, a mistress of Naw Bahini Govt. Primary School at Bandar Tilla said. “The situation has been worsening gradually. We have heard about tidal water in other parts of the city four to five years back.
But now it has become our own reality,” she added.
“Besides, poor drainage system also linger the water logging even after a long period of tide,” Sahida opined, adding even we can not go outside our residences to purchase essential commodities due to water-logging.
However, AZM Nasir Uddin, Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation could not be reached despite attempts on several times for his comment on the issue
A high official of the corporation preferring anonymity said the office keeps a big chunk of money every year’s budget for dredging but the situation is worsening only due to mishandling of the fund.
“It is clear that if we could utilize the fund properly, then the situation would surely improve,” he added.
“The weak point of dredging is that general people cannot assume anything about the activity. Only stake holders can know whether the work has been done accordingly or not. But you know better about our weakness about evolution of any government work,” he said.
The official said the rise of sea water level is due to the global warming that is difficult to tackle on the part of Bangladesh alone. Meanwhile, the official said a MOU has been signed in this connection with a Chinese construction firm.
About 900 villages in the district have reportedly gone under flood water due to the nearly month-long monsoon rains. Meanwhile, the port city witnessed incessant rain for the last three days which almost paralysed the normal activity of the city dwellers. And the Sea became rough.
Lightering of cargo remained suspended at outer berth of Chittagong Port. Ship congestions feared in the port as unloading activities in port hampered due to incessant rain. Besides, several flights have been cancelled at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong and could not land three international flights here due to inclement weather.
The Meteorological Department has recorded 145mm rainfall till 3:00pm in the last 24 hours. Specifically, flow of water, high sea time and rise of water level in rivers of Karnaphuli and Halda witnessed flowing above danger level which caused severe water-logging since Monday.
The low- lying areas of the port city, including ground floors of the building, shops and business houses, badly damaged by the rain water accompanied with high tide of the sea. Most of the areas inundated with knee-deep to waist-deep water in the city’s main business hub of Agrabad and the low-lying areas of the city and outskirts of city. Plying of city buses, public transports except paddle run rickshaws remained stranded in the submerged areas.
Meanwhile, capitalizing the situation, a section of traders and whole-sellers increased prices of the vegetables, essential commodities instantly in the kitchen markets.
The unscrupulous venders, whole-sellers and retainers are taking advantages of maximum benefits centering the sudden natural calamities.
District Agri Officer Aminul Hoque Chowdhury told The New Nation that the major vegetable produces in Chandanaish, Dohazari, Satkania, Banskhali, Sitakunda,Raozan, Rangunia , Fatikchari and the vegetable fields in these area damaged badly by incessant rain and hence the scarcity of vegetable will be witnessed this year.
Conscious circles observed that the government should provide commodity items like rice, wheat, flour, onion, garlic, sugar in the affected areas with fair price sale for certain period to relieve their miseries.
