Mismanagement, not rain, drowning Dhaka: Bapa

Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa) has proposed seven recommendations to tackle Dhaka’s persistent waterlogging, emphasising science-based planning, coordinated institutional action, and active citizen participation.

The organisation said the city’s waterlogging woes stem from poor planning, a lack of coordination among agencies, and obstruction of its natural drainage system.

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The recommendations were presented at a seminar titled “Dhaka Is Drowning Not Because of Rain, but Due to Coordinated Mismanagement”, held at Jatiya Press Club yesterday.

Presenting the recommendations, Bapa General Secretary Alamgir Kabir called for modernising solid and sewage waste management, developing stormwater drainage based on the city’s natural topography, and integrating rivers, canals, lakes and wetlands into a connected drainage network.

The other recommendations include preventing encroachment and pollution of waterbodies, reducing dependence on pumps by restoring natural links between rivers and canals, ensuring accountability among responsible agencies through a participatory governance framework, and adopting long-term, science-based planning to address waterlogging.

BAPA President Prof Dr Nur Mohammad Talukdar chaired the seminar, while architect Iqbal Habib, an executive member of BAPA and convener of its Urbanisation Committee, presented the keynote paper.

Iqbal said institutions such as Rajuk, the two city corporations, Wasa, the Bangladesh Water Development Board, BIWTA and the land ministry all play roles in urban management, but fail to work in a coordinated manner.

BAPA Vice-President Prof M Firoz Ahmed called for redesigning the country’s drainage and sewerage systems and preparing a comprehensive drainage master plan.

Rights activist Khushi Kabir urged the authorities to replace short-term interventions with sustainable, long-term planning and involve affected communities, environmentalists, experts and civil society in the process.

Dhaka South City Corporation is planning to redesign Dhaka’s drainage system based on CS records, which would significantly reduce waterlogging once implemented, said its Chief Engineer Nur Azizur Rahman.