ROAD submerged in rainwater causing extreme public suffering remain a perennial crisis for Dhaka. A photograph that 抖阴精品 published on October 11 shows rickshaws wading through rainwater that collected on the Hosni Dalan Road in Dhaka. In August, the Dhaka North City Corporation identified 98 spots vulnerable to water stagnation, often leading to submerged houses and roads, hours lost in traffic congestion and severe disruption in daily life. This happens although the city authorities spent more than Tk 650 crore on drainage development in 2020鈥�2024. But lack of governance, poor planning and disregard for environmental laws have made water stagnation a seemingly permanent curse. Unmarked potholes on a submerged road are also a cause of road accidents. There is the public health issue of stagnant water becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes, leading to risks of diseases such as dengue and chikungunya, which have already wrought havoc in the city. The reality depicted in the photograph shows the collapse of the drainage system and failure of city authorities responsible for maintaining drains and the sewerage system.
The causes of water stagnation are public knowledge. An ineffective sewerage system, an uncoordinated and ineffective waste management system and the encroachment on canals are primarily blamed for the persistent crisis. The drains are clogged with plastic and other forms of solid waste. According to a study, about 5,000 tonnes of waste are generated in Dhaka every day and only a half of that volume is properly collected and dumped while the other half remains untreated, clogging the drains and canals. An indiscriminate dumping of household waste has resulted in the narrowing of canals in the city. Encroachment on canals also contributed to the problem. Water stagnation in some areas, such as Tolarbagh, Ahmednagar, and Paikpara in Dhaka, stems from the complete encroachment on the Kalyanpur main canal behind Bangla College. Many of the 144 big and small canals in the city have lost their original state for lack of dredging. A 2019 study by the Bangladesh Institute of Planners revealed that Dhaka has lost 3,440 acres out of 9,556 acres of designated flood flow zones, retention areas and water bodies since the publication of the detailed area plan in 2010. The city authorities have taken several initiatives to improve the situation, but it is uncertain when the citizen can enjoy the benefit of the actions.
Water stagnation reflects a clear governance failure and the consequences of unplanned, chaotic urban development. The government should prioritise the reclamation and restoration of water bodies across all urban centres to ensure effective rainwater drainage. Citizens, too, have a responsibility to keep their surroundings clean. Without such collective action, there can be no lasting solution to this recurring crisis.
