Draining dollars down Ctg drains

Published : Saturday, 11 July, 2026 at 12:00 AM

Nurul Amin

CHATTOGRAM July 10 The persistent water logging the curse for the port city Chattogram has been continuing every year particularly in the rainy season. The government has taken four projects under three agencies of the local govt at over Tk 14000 crore of which Tk10000 crore has been spent. So there is no respite from the sufferings of the water-logging for the people of Chattogram. The city has been inundated following a spell of light rain despite 95 per cent works of the water-logging removal project in the city. The fresh water-logging caused disruption in traffic movement and affecting residents, office-goers, drivers, and pedestrians of the city.

Even light rainfall continues to submerge major roads, severely disrupting daily life for the residents. Water-logged streets have made walking extremely difficult, while rickshaw pullers are taking advantage of the situation by charging inflated fares, demanding Tk50 to Tk60 for trips that usually cost Tk30.

In the last week the port city experienced over 1000 mm rainfall in five days. As a result the city witnessed a severe waterlogging in the past few days. The repeated waterlogging incidents have raised fresh concerns over the effectiveness of ongoing projects and the overall drainage infrastructure, with residents calling for urgent and lasting solutions to solve the problem.

WATERLOGGING WOES ON DESPITE PUMPING TK140B
1. Four projects under three agencies of the local govt at over Tk 14000 crore of which Tk10000 crore has been spent

2. The project’s initial budget of Tk 56.16b was revised in November 2023 to Tk 86.26b, extending the deadline to June 2026.

3. Among the city’s 57 canals, 36 were included in a mega flood mitigation project

4. Key features include 163km of retaining walls, 115 bridges and culverts, 27 silt traps, six regulators, and 36.87km of roads alongside the canals.

5. The project includes the renovation of 36 canals, the construction of drainage, girder bridges, culverts, and water retaining walls, and the making of reservoirs for flood water conservation.

Three agencies are implementing four projects worth Tk14,389 crore to address waterlogging in Chattogram city. About Tk 10,000 crore has already been spent.

Those projects are; Canal re-excavation, renovation and expansion to eradicate water logging of Chattogram implementing by CDA and Bangladesh Army; Water Development Board Project and Chattogram City Corporation. The implementation of those projects is now on going only to remove water-logging from the port city, Chattogram. Those projects have been working since 2017 last. But strangely till todate, those projects had failed to bring any hope of water-logging removal for the residents of Chattogram.

Among the city’s 57 canals, 36 were included in a mega flood mitigation project approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council in August 2017.

The Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) launched the initiative in April 2018, with the 34 Engineer Construction Brigade of the Bangladesh Army executing the civil works.

The project’s initial budget of Tk 56.16 billion was revised in November 2023 to Tk 86.26 billion, extending the deadline to June 2026.

Key features include 163km of retaining walls, 115 bridges and culverts, 27 silt traps, six regulators, and 36.87km of roads alongside the canals.

As of early March, overall progress stands at 95 percent.

The project includes the renovation of 36 canals, the construction of drainage, girder bridges, culverts, and water retaining walls, and the making of reservoirs for flood water conservation.

The engineering brigade of the Bangladesh army is now implementing the project.

Subsequently, the project underwent significant revisions, including the addition of retaining walls along the banks of the canals, an increase in the volume of sludge removal from the canals, and modifications to critical components such as the installation of tidal regulators and silt traps.

Most of the city drains linked to the canals are blocked with garbage and plastic. So, when it rains heavily, water remains on the surface because of clogged drains.

Meanwhile, the government has formed a coordination committee involving relevant agencies to address the persistent waterlogging problem in Chattogram.