NOW rainy season is going on. And water-logging is a recurring problem for Dhaka, which the residents of this city are painfully aware of, but the authorities concerned DNCC and DSCC like to stay mum about the city dwellers sufferings except propagating the tale of ‘development’. While waterlogging is an old challenge for the city dwellers, the Mayors, in particular, and the Government, in general, which is serving for three consecutive terms have drastically failed in overcoming the challenge. Even though we hear assurances from the authorities that the problem is being dealt with, the truth is, there is no real sign that the situation is getting any better.
Bangladesh is a country that experiences heavy rainfall every year, and as a result, cities like Dhaka and Chattogram often come to a standstill due to severe water-logging. The problem lies largely in our faulty drainage system, which causes our roads to start resembling water bodies even after moderate amounts of rainfall; heavy rainfall, of course, leaves the city nothing short of crippled, with some parts of the capital keeping under knee to waist-deep water.
We think one of the reasons that year after year the problem remains unsolved is the lack of cooperation between the government departments and agencies. In particular, Dhaka WASA and our City Corporations have consistently failed to work together in harmony to formulate a sustainable solution, with both parties avoiding to take responsibility.
There is another thing. That is waste disposal. It is a solvable issue within the purview of the City Corporations and needs to be addressed without delay. The waste in Dhaka, particularly plastic waster matter, is rarely properly disposed of, often being thrown out into the streets, causing the drains to clog up leaving the water with no place to go. In order to turn Dhaka into a truly livable city, the government needs to make fixing water-logging a priority. If any development really happens in the country, the government should prove this by fixing at least waterlogging problems of the capital Dhaka and Port City Chattogram.
