Mayor Questions CDA Chairman’s Absence Amid Waterlogging

Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) is implementing a major waterlogging mitigation project in the city. However, parts of Chattogram have remained submerged for two consecutive days due to ongoing construction work, causing severe public suffering and losses worth millions. Despite the situation, CDA Chairman Engineer Nurul Karim was not seen anywhere in the affected areas, nor did he visit the waterlogged locations. The absence has triggered anger from Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain, while social media users have also strongly criticized the situation.

Since the waterlogging began, the city mayor has been visiting different affected areas and engaging in on-the-ground inspection. He has apologized to residents for their suffering. However, the CDA chairman, whose organization is responsible for the project, did not issue any public statement, despite the ongoing crisis caused by the project implementation.

On Wednesday afternoon, while inspecting the waterlogged Prabartak intersection, Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain said that the Prime Minister had expressed regret over the waterlogging situation. He also said he himself had apologized to the citizens. He noted that the Bangladesh Army is carrying out the project work under CDA supervision. “I did not see them yesterday. I had expected the CDA chairman to be present here at least today,” he said.

When contacted via WhatsApp call, CDA Chairman Engineer Nurul Karim said he had come to Dhaka on Tuesday evening to attend a ministry meeting. He said he had visited the project site earlier but avoided media attention. “I am publicity-averse, so I did not carry a camera and it was not publicized,” he said. He added that he instructed officials responsible for project implementation to cut the embankments of the canals, after which construction materials were being removed from the canals.

He further claimed that he has been in constant communication with relevant officials.

Officials said the chairman was at his office throughout Tuesday during working hours. At the same time, areas such as Jamal Khan by-lane, about 1.5 kilometers away, were already submerged. Residents were facing severe hardship as water entered homes, according to CDA-linked officials.

Residents of Jamal Khan, Shaibal Parial, said houses were flooded due to embankments being constructed without ensuring alternative drainage routes. He said people suffered greatly, but those implementing the project were not seen on the ground.

On Facebook, users including Shakhawat Hossain and Saiful Karim Arian criticized the situation, saying CDA was implementing the project but its chairman and engineers had no presence despite the city going underwater due to their work.

City officials and CDA authorities said embankments were placed as part of ongoing rehabilitation work on Jamal Khan and Hijra canals under the waterlogging mitigation project. They said water flow was blocked due to the embankments, resulting in severe waterlogging.

The project titled “Re-excavation, Expansion, Renovation and Development of Canals for Waterlogging Mitigation in Chattogram City” is being implemented by CDA at a cost of Tk 86.26 billion. So far, Tk 60.17 billion has been spent. The project covers renovation of 36 canals. In the current phase, 2.3 km of Jamalkhan Canal and 2.4 km of Hijra Canal are being worked on. At least 30 embankments have been constructed at different points of the canals for retaining wall construction.

Due to these embankments, rainwater from Tuesday has not drained even after 24 hours in some areas, including Panchlaish Residential Area. By Wednesday noon, knee-deep water remained on Road No. 1 in the area. Waist-deep water was reported at Prabartak intersection, forcing residents to wade through flooded streets.