bdnews24.com :
A dam along the Maheshkhal canal responsible for frequent waterlogging in the port city of Chittagong is finally being removed.
The canal is the only waterway through the city to drain away run-offs into the Karnaphuli River in times of heavy rains.
Chittagong Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin and Rear Admiral M Khaled Iqbal, Chairman of Chittagong Port Authority, witnessed the operation that started
around 3pm Tuesday. The mayor said the dam was being removed on people’s demand and it would take two or three days to complete the task.
CPA built the dam along the canal near Port Republic Club in 2015 ignoring resistance from city planners.
Chittagong dwellers have suffered since then as the port city went under floodwater during every monsoon that followed.
Residents of Agrabad, Goshaildanga, and Halishohor have been largely demanding the removal of the dam. Chittagong Awami League’s Vice-President Khorshed Alam Sujon started a movement in this regard.
Locals clashed with police amid calls for removing the dam in May last year. The area has since been under police’s surveillance.
The protests gained momentum when recently residents remained marooned amid floods for three days in the port city following cyclone Mora.
Apparently giving in to the demand by protesters, Mayor Nasir finally announced a plan to remove the dam on June 1.
Criticism and ridicule swarmed the social media after the city got waterlogged again on Monday.
Chittagong City Corporation informed their decision to remove the dam to the media the same night.
A dam along the Maheshkhal canal responsible for frequent waterlogging in the port city of Chittagong is finally being removed.
The canal is the only waterway through the city to drain away run-offs into the Karnaphuli River in times of heavy rains.
Chittagong Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin and Rear Admiral M Khaled Iqbal, Chairman of Chittagong Port Authority, witnessed the operation that started
around 3pm Tuesday. The mayor said the dam was being removed on people’s demand and it would take two or three days to complete the task.
CPA built the dam along the canal near Port Republic Club in 2015 ignoring resistance from city planners.
Chittagong dwellers have suffered since then as the port city went under floodwater during every monsoon that followed.
Residents of Agrabad, Goshaildanga, and Halishohor have been largely demanding the removal of the dam. Chittagong Awami League’s Vice-President Khorshed Alam Sujon started a movement in this regard.
Locals clashed with police amid calls for removing the dam in May last year. The area has since been under police’s surveillance.
The protests gained momentum when recently residents remained marooned amid floods for three days in the port city following cyclone Mora.
Apparently giving in to the demand by protesters, Mayor Nasir finally announced a plan to remove the dam on June 1.
Criticism and ridicule swarmed the social media after the city got waterlogged again on Monday.
Chittagong City Corporation informed their decision to remove the dam to the media the same night.
