Residents of Chattogram city continue to suffer from frequent waterlogging
M Zahirul Alam Dobhash, Chairman of Chittagong Development Authority (CDA), said, “The CDA is implementing the waterlogging project as the Chattogram City Corporation cannot do so. This project removed illegal structures from canals in the city. After the completion of the project, the city dwellers will save from water logging.”
He said these things in the president’s speech at the stakeholders’ meeting on preparing the 20-year master plan for Chattogram city.
CDA and Chattogram Urban Network jointly organized this meeting at CDA’s conference room in collaboration with UNDP (United Nations Development Program), Young Power in Social Action (YPSA), and Save the Children.
Chattogram city has waterlogged at least nine times during this year’s monsoon season. The city’s residents are angry that despite the work of the four projects, it did not reduce the suffering of waterlogging.
Meanwhile, Chattogram City Corporation, Chittagong Port Authority, Chattogram WASA, and the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) were jointly invited to the meeting. However, none of the officials of the organizations were present. The negotiators expressed anger at the meeting.
Chairman of CDA M Zahirul Alam Dubash said in the chairman’s speech that a master plan is essential for a city. Therefore, a modern master plan should formulate which will consider the reality.
He said CDA does not have the required workforce. While RAJUK (Capital Development Authority of the Government of Bangladesh) has 24 authorized officers, CDA has only two.
Moreover, there are only 16 inspectors to supervise the buildings of the entire city. Due to a lack of workforce, each person has to perform two or three duties. Efforts are underway to resolve this situation.
Muhammad Rashidul Hasan, President of Chattogram University of Engineering and Technology (CUET)’s Urban and Regional Planning Department, said,
” Chattagram WASA had made two master plans earlier. How much did they implement it? Has it been verified?” He urged to give importance to open spaces, playgrounds, and parks in the new master plan.
Kazi Hasan bin Shams, Chief Engineer of CDA, said, “Coordination meetings hold regularly. Everyone at the meeting said yes, yes. However, they do not follow what they say. The previous master plan has done at home. So there were many lumps. Let it not happen this time.”
Delwar Majumder, Former President of The Institution of Engineers, Chattagram, said, “Institutional capacity should also increase to implement the master plan. Moreover, urban planning should pay attention to mental well-being.”
Shahidul Alam, Honorary Secretary of Chattogram Center of the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB), said, “The way the mountains are getting cut in Chattogram, it does not seem that there will be any more mountains in 2041.
The city corporation had complained that the elevated expressway spoiling the hills’ beauty. Still, it is happening. Cost increases due to design changes during development. People’s suffering is increasing. It must ensure that it does not happen in the future.”
Manzoor-ul-Amin Chowdhury, Chairman of Ghassful, expressed his anger, as representatives of essential organizations were absent.
He said, “Earlier, the Chattagram City Corporation had taken the initiative to dig the Baripara canal to resolve the waterlogging. Two mayors are gone. However, where is the canal? The road has been flown. Moreover, there is water on the road. So what is the development?”
