Despite formulating nine master plans over the past few decades to resolve waterlogging in the capital, not a single one has been fully implemented. Most recently, Dhaka WASA formulated a 25-year detailed master plan in 2016.

Even though a decade has passed, its first phase has not been implemented, and there is no visible progress in the second phase either. Various areas of the capital consequently go under water with even a slight drizzle, and the city is expanding progressively with a weak and inadequate drainage system. Experts fear that if this situation continues, Dhaka’s civic services, administrative activities and commercial growth could be severely disrupted in the future.

Urban planners say that waterlogging in the capital is not a new problem. Even after independence, various alleys and lanes of the city used to submerge in water whenever it rained. At that time, the scope of waterlogging was also limited as Dhaka’s area and population were comparatively lower. But the problem existed even then. Taking this reality into account, the first drainage master plan for Dhaka was formulated during the Pakistan period.

A review of history shows that the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) formulated Dhaka’s first drainage master plan in 1968. Earlier, following the partition in 1947, the institution was established to supply pure water to the urban and rural areas of Dhaka. Along with water supply and sewerage services, the responsibility of constructing drainage infrastructure for rainwater removal was also vested in the organisation. Later, in 1963, Dhaka WASA was formed to manage water supply and sewerage services in Dhaka, but the responsibility of drainage construction and rainwater drainage remained with the Department of Public Health Engineering. But following the devastating 1988 flood, this responsibility was handed over to Dhaka WASA to bring dynamism to Dhaka’s drainage management.

DPHE-formulated first drainage plan was “Master Plan for Flood Protection and Internal Drainage of Dhaka City”. The responsibility for implementing the plan was divided between two agencies. The task of constructing embankments and pumping stations was assigned to the then Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), while the DPHE was responsible for building the drainage infrastructure.

The DPHE progressively formulated four more master plans, re-evaluation plans and studies. These included the “Internal Drainage System Plan for Dhaka City” in 1976, the “Reviewed Master Plan for Flood Control and Drainage Works” in 1978, the “Interim Scheme for Removing Water Logging within Dhaka Metropolis” in 1983, and the “Revised Crash Programme for Construction of Stormwater Drainage in Water Logged Area of Dhaka Metropolis” in 1985.

Urban planners say that waterlogging in Dhaka city is a long-standing problem. Behind this are unplanned infrastructure and government mismanagement. Dr Akter Mahmud, a professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning (URP) at Jahangirnagar University, has mentioned citizens’ lack of awareness as a major reason.

He told Bonik Barta, “Waterlogging in Dhaka isn’t just today’s problem. Dhaka city’s waterlogging is found in a British official’s diary in 1840. Back then, Dhaka meant only Old Dhaka, Paltan and Shahbagh. The surrounding canals and rivers used to brim with water. Then why waterlogging? We throw garbage out of windows onto the streets, onto neighbours’ roofs and into the gaps between two buildings. We fill low-lying land and canals with waste. We’re largely responsible for our own suffering.”

Regarding Dhaka’s waterlogging, he further said: “Along with public unawareness, the government also has major failures. So many master plans and action plans were made, but no government could fully implement even a single one. WASA or city corporations clean canals before the monsoon. The year they clean canals, the condition is slightly better. The year they don’t, the condition worsens. In fact, rainwater needs to be carried from the central area of the city to the peripheral areas. That arrangement doesn’t exist now. There will be no solution to Dhaka city’s waterlogging without the full implementation of a master plan.”

The DPHE-taken initiatives to resolve Dhaka’s waterlogging also failed to bring the desired results. Dhaka consequently continues to get waterlogged in the rains and flooded in major floods every year. In this situation, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) stepped forward to resolve Dhaka’s floods and waterlogging. In 1987, the agency conducted the “Study on Stormwater Drainage System Improvement Project in Dhaka City”. But just a year later, during the catastrophic flood of 1988, Dhaka, along with other regions of the country, was extensively flooded.

Later, in 1990, the World Bank initiated the “Flood Action Plan” and conducted a study on rainwater drainage and flood control. Most recently, in 2006, the Institute of Water Modelling (IWM) formulated a drainage master plan for Dhaka city.

Currently, the two city corporations are responsible for Dhaka’s drainage management. But relevant officials believe that due to growing population pressure, a decrease in water bodies and low-lying land, and a reduction in the soil’s water absorption capacity, resolving the city’s waterlogging is becoming increasingly complex.

Regarding this, Nur Azizur Rahman, chief engineer of Dhaka South City Corporation, told Bonik Barta, “Dhaka’s canals are filled with garbage, the flow of box culverts is blocked, retention ponds are encroached upon, low-lying land has been filled, and four to five times the population capacity is living in this city. In this situation, formulating and implementing any plan for this city is a very difficult task. The city corporation can’t do it alone. WASA has a role here. WASA’s sewerage lines are connected to our drainage lines. RAJUK has a role. All low-lying lands in Dhaka are being filled, and RAJUK says nothing. People must refrain from throwing garbage into canals and drains. Only when everyone comes forward can Dhaka be freed from waterlogging. Otherwise, plans will be made, terms will end, and new plans will be made. Waterlogging won’t decrease.”

Dhaka WASA formulated the latest drainage master plan for the capital city. The 25-year master plan, spanning from 2015 to 2040, was scheduled to be implemented in three phases. The duration of its first phase was set from 2015 to 20, while the subsequent two phases were designated for 2020–30 and 2030–40, respectively. This master plan was supposed to be implemented through WASA and various other service-providing agencies in Dhaka. Despite passing a decade, this master plan has not been implemented.

Commenting that billions in state funds are being wasted alongside public suffering due to the repeated failure to implement the drainage master plan, Dr Adil Mohammed Khan, executive director of the Institute for Planning & Development (IPD), told Bonik Barta, “Solving the drainage problem of Dhaka requires planned work. But after receiving the responsibility for canals and drainage, the two city corporations have been working in a disjointed manner. Somewhere they clean a canal, and two days later it gets dirty again. Somewhere water accumulates, and they raise the road, submerging people’s houses. In this way, billions have been spent over the last four years to resolve waterlogging. These are nothing but a waste of public money. Whatever is done must be done according to the master plan. Only then will Dhaka city move towards a sustainable solution.”

Md Aminul Islam, managing director of Dhaka WASA, claimed that the concerned service agencies are working in a coordinated manner to resolve the capital’s waterlogging. He told Bonik Barta, “The responsibility of drainage management now lies in the hands of the two city corporations. Until 2020, Dhaka WASA was responsible for this. At that time, WASA couldn’t properly fulfil the responsibility. But under the directives of the prime minister, Dhaka WASA, the two city corporations, RAJUK and all other related agencies are working in a coordinated manner to resolve the capital’s waterlogging. I hope the residents of Dhaka will reap the benefits of this.”