Recurring Waterlogging in Chattogram: Beyond Mega Projects

For decades, waterlogging has remained one of the most stubborn urban challenges in the port city of Chattogram, the commercial capital of the country. Every monsoon, even moderate rainfall inundates roads, disrupts businesses, paralyses traffic and exposes the weaknesses of the city’s drainage system. To address the long-standing problem, the government initiated four mega projects worth around Tk14,400 crore to expand drainage capacity, restore canals and protect the city from tidal surges. After years of implementation, the projects have delivered visible improvements. Areas that once remained submerged for hours now experience quicker drainage, while several traditional waterlogging hotspots have seen noticeable relief.
However, the heavy rainfall and widespread waterlogging early this month served as a reminder that the problem is far from solved. The record 412.3 millimetre rainfall within 24 hours in 43 years’ history, combined with high tides, submerged many parts of the port city, including Chawk Bazar, Bakolia, Katalganj, Kapasgola, Bahaddarhat, Muradpur, Chandgaon, Halishahar, Agrabad and Patenga. Roads disappeared under water, traffic came to a standstill, educational institutions suspended classes and examinations, and thousands of residents struggled to reach their workplaces and homes.
The situation once again raised a familiar question: Why does waterlogging continue despite years of massive investment? Experts attribute the continuing problem to a combination of delayed and improper project implementation, incomplete infrastructure, inadequate maintenance planning and long-standing structural deficiencies.
A government-assigned supervisory committee had earlier recommended several measures to retain the gains achieved through the projects. These included regular canal maintenance, trained operational staff, proper management of regulators and pump houses, and strengthening the institutional capacity of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC). Unfortunately, most of these recommendations remain unimplemented. Consequently, uncertainty persists over long-term maintenance of the rehabilitated canals, operation of mechanical systems and routine cleaning once the projects are formally completed.
The problem is further compounded by the involvement of multiple agencies in managing Chattogram’s drainage system. Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), CCC, Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and several other utility agencies all share responsibilities. In the absence of single coordinating authorities, overlapping responsibilities and inadequate coordination continue to undermine both implementation and long-term maintenance. However, the good news is that in line with the implementation of the supervisory committee recommendations, the CCC is preparing two additional projects to alleviate the waterlogging, involving an approximate cost of Tk3,871 crore. One project will focus on the maintenance and renovation of 36 canals. And the second project is being designed to renovate and develop the 21 canals remaining out of the ongoing projects. The development project proposals for the projects are being prepared for submission to the ministry.  Surely, those will take time to be approved at the ECNEC following necessary approvals.
Urban planners have consistently argued that drainage infrastructure alone cannot eliminate waterlogging. Chattogram once possessed an extensive network of canals, wetlands and low-lying retention areas that naturally stored excess rainwater before releasing it gradually into rivers and the Bay of Bengal. Over time, many of these natural water bodies have disappeared because of unplanned urbanisation, encroachment and indiscriminate land-filling. Subsequently, rainwater now has fewer places to accumulate temporarily before entering the drainage network. During periods of intense rainfall, the system quickly becomes overwhelmed.
Experts have long advocated the development of reservoirs and retention ponds, as envisioned in earlier master plans. They also stress the need for an integrated and uninterrupted drainage network that connects neighbourhood drains with secondary and primary canals, allowing rainwater to flow efficiently across the city.
As a commercial hub, Chattogram is home to the country’s premier seaport, major industrial zones, export-orientated factories and wholesale markets. Any disruption to the city inevitably affects the national economy. In the recent flood, businesses suffered losses as shops were inundated, goods were damaged and customer movement declined. Some road links connecting industrial and commercial areas with the port also remained submerged, affecting the movement of goods. Besides, residents repeatedly suffer damage to household belongings, students lose valuable academic time, patients struggle to reach healthcare facilities and low-income workers lose daily wages. Waterlogging also heightens public health risks by contaminating water, creating mosquito breeding grounds and worsening sanitation conditions.
Climate change is expected to intensify these challenges in the years ahead. More frequent extreme rainfall, rising sea levels and stronger tidal surges will place increasing pressure on the city’s drainage infrastructure.
So, the way forward requires far more than engineering solutions. The government should establish dedicated authorities or permanent institutional mechanisms responsible solely for managing drainage and waterlogging in Chattogram. Adequate funding, modern equipment and a skilled workforce must be ensured before the ongoing projects are handed over. The proposed canal restoration projects should be implemented without delay, while ponds, reservoirs and natural water bodies must be protected and restored to increase the city’s capacity to retain excess rainwater. At the same time, strict action is needed against canal encroachment, illegal waste dumping and unplanned development that obstructs natural water flow.
The mega projects have undoubtedly brought Chattogram closer than ever to overcoming its long-standing waterlogging crisis. However, unless equal importance is given to maintenance, coordination and long-term sustainability, the city risks losing many of the gains achieved through years of investment. For a city that serves as Bangladesh’s economic gateway, securing a lasting solution to waterlogging is not merely a civic necessity; it is a national imperative.
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The writer is a journalist. He can be reached at [email protected]