DND embankment management to be shifted to city corporations: Minister

The Ministry of Water Resources has decided to transfer the DND embankment project to the local city corporations, aiming at resolving the persistent waterlogging crisis in the Dhaka-Narayanganj-Demra (DND) area.

The announcement was made by Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee on Wednesday, following a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat. 

The move seeks to streamline drainage and waste management by placing the infrastructure under the direct jurisdiction of urban local government bodies.

Minister Anee noted that despite an eight-year development project launched in 2016 and completed in 2024, residents have yet to see significant relief from flooding. "The expected benefits have not materialized, and many areas remain submerged," he told reporters.

The decision follows extensive consultations between the Ministries of Water Resources and Local Government, the Dhaka and Narayanganj city corporations, and technical experts. Under the new arrangement, the Dhaka South City Corporation and Narayanganj City Corporation--which cover the majority of the DND territory-will take over maintenance and operations.

A key focus of the handover is waste management. The minister emphasized that the city corporations will be responsible for ensuring that canals and drainage channels remain unobstructed by refuse, a primary cause of blockages in the past.

To further bolster the area’s resilience, the government plans to initiate a new project featuring 30 kilometers of additional drainage infrastructure. Minister Anee expressed optimism that visible changes would occur rapidly, with the administrative handover expected to be finalized within two weeks.

The meeting was attended by State Minister for Water Resources Forhad Hossain Azad, State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam, and other senior officials from RAJUK and the Local Government Division.