Chattogram city, known as the commercial capital of the country, was submerged for the third day in a row on Sunday due to heavy rains and unusual tide caused by full moon. At least 40 per cent parts of the city went under water during the three-day waterlogging. At least 1.5 million people of the city suffered unbearable hardship as roads, alleys and houses were submerged in water for 10 to 12 hours. Small and medium businesses are facing losses.
The port city faced waterlogging 10 times in seven months of this year and 12 times in the previous year. According to those affected, this recent waterlogging was the worst experienced in the last five years. Fortunately, the main wholesale market, Khatunganj, was spared from severe damage this time, but shops, markets, and kitchen markets in the surrounding areas were severely affected. The floodwater caused extensive destruction to goods, resulting in significant financial losses. While there is no specific estimate of the total financial damage incurred during the three days, traders believe that the direct and indirect losses amount to at least Tk 1.5 billion.
A study conducted in 2021 revealed that Khatunganj and its nearby regions suffered a loss of Tk 4.63 billion in a year due to waterlogging. Despite being relatively fortunate this time, traders in Khatunganj remain concerned about future incidents due to the alarming frequency and intensity of rain and tide occurrences.
A considerable amount of money has been invested in costly measures to prevent flooding during heavy rains and tidal water in Chattogram. Currently, there are four ongoing projects aimed at addressing this issue, with one being undertaken by the City Corporation, two by the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), and another by the Water Development Board. The total cost of these projects is Tk 113.44 billion.
Over the past six years, Tk 57.90 billion has been spent on these initiatives. However, the outcome has not been as significant as expected. Only five out of the 40 planned sluice gates at various canal mouths in the city have been completed so far. The construction of the remaining 35 gates has been ongoing for six years.
According to the meteorological department, 231 mm of rainfall was recorded in Chattogram in 24 hours (from 3 pm on Saturday to 3 pm Sunday). Along with the heavy rainfall, the tide was also high. According to the Chattogram port, the tide in the Karnaphuli river was 10.5 metres higher than normal in Sadarghat area yesterday, at 5.16 metres. In the afternoon the tide height was 5.11 metres.
Forecasting officer of the met department, Zahirul Islam, told Prothom Alo that the highest rainfall was recorded yesterday in this year. Due to low pressure, this rain will continue for few more days.
Traders face huge losses
Due to heavy rainfall, waterlogging began in various areas of the city from Friday morning. One of the flood-prone areas affected was the raw market area of Chawkbazar in the city. Consequently, the Chawk Supermarket in the area has remained closed since Friday and also did not open yesterday.
Belal Uddin, an adviser of the Chawk Supermarket Traders Association, informed Prothom Alo that there are 55 shops on the ground floor of the market, selling clothes, toiletries, crockery, and mobile phones. On the first day of the waterlogging, at least 30 shops suffered losses amounting to approximately Tk 2 million due to damaged goods. With the shops closed for three days due to the waterlogging, the losses have been substantial.
In addition to the Chawk Super Market, Mohammad Shamsul Alam, who owns a fruit shop nearby, also faced significant losses. Yesterday morning, his shop was knee-deep in water, and he was using a motor to drain out the water. He told Prothom Alo that water has damaged around Tk 200,000 worth of fruit in his shop. Unfortunately, he faces such losses every season, and this time the damage has been even more extensive.
The Baddarhat area, where the city mayor Rezaur Karim Chowdhury resides, also experienced waterlogging during this recent flooding. The ground floor of Swajan Super Market in this area remained submerged in water for the past three days. According to Delawar Hossain, the President of the Business Welfare Association, there are approximately 100 shops in the market, offering various products. The flooding caused losses of about Tk 4 million worth of goods in these shops over the three-day period.
In contrast, the Reazuddin Bazar area of the city did not face significant waterlogging previously. However, this year, traders in the area reported losses of about Tk 20 million in goods due to the three-day flooding. Anwar Hossain, a Saree seller, expressed his frustration, stating that drains and sewers were closed, allowing water to enter his shop and damage sarees worth Tk 100,000.
Mozammel Hossain, the Joint General Secretary of Chattogram Branch of Bangladesh Shop Owners Association, explained that traders suffer in various ways due to floods every year. Firstly, the goods in shops are destroyed, and businesses are forced to close during such situations. This time, around five thousand shopkeepers fell victim to the flooding, resulting in estimated losses of at least Tk 1.5 billion.
Less damage in Khatunganj, yet traders concerned
On the night of 24 October last year, Chaktai-Khatunganj witnessed severe flooding, resulting in the destruction of numerous shops and warehouses, causing significant financial losses for the businessmen in the area. However, this time, due to heavy rain, the water level on the roads of Khatunganj rose momentarily but has since subsided.
The most substantial damage during tides or heavy rains is typically observed in the raw produce section of Hamidullah Mia Bazaar. According to Mohammad Idris, the President of Khatunganj Hamidullah Mia Market Welfare Association, the sluice gate of Chaktai Canal was closed during the tide, preventing the tidal water from entering Khatunganj. Although the water level rose due to heavy rains, it did not cause considerable damage this time. Nevertheless, the fear and concern among traders persist as they had experienced significant losses during the previous year’s flooding.
In 2021, a research report conducted jointly by the National Resilience Programme of the Government Planning Commission and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in collaboration with the Chattogram Chamber, states that in one decade (2011-2020) Tk 25.17 billion were lost due to flooding due to heavy rain or tidal water. In 2020, 4,500 businesses in Khatunganj and surrounding areas suffered a loss of Tk 4.63billion. After that there was no further survey or research on the damage.
People in low-lying areas suffer more
Residents of low-lying areas suffer the most due to waterlogging. The ground floor of their house was submerged in water. When it rains heavily, Chawkbazar is the first to be inundated. Housewife Farzana Akhter lives with her husband and two children in a rented house in a semi pucca building in this area. She said, “The water has been accumulating for three days. We try to drain the water somehow and then make arrangement to cook. The water rises again. We are suffering a lot.”
Yesterday, the main road of Chattogram city, stretching from Muradpur to Bahaddarhat, experienced knee-deep water for approximately one kilometer. The heavy flooding caused traffic on the road to come to a standstill. Besides CDA Avenue, several other roads in the city, including Kapasgola, KB Aman Ali Road, Sirajddaulah Road, and Khawaja Road, remained practically closed until the afternoon.
The floodwaters also affected the ground floors of six schools within the city, including YWCA Primary School, Ekhlasur Rahman Government Primary School, and Kapasgola Government Primary Boys School, submerging these educational institutions.
Salika Begum, the head teacher of Kapasgola Government Primary Boys School, reported that the entire ground floor of the school is submerged in water. Only five to seven students came to school in the morning, and after sending them back home, the teachers had to leave as well due to the flooding.
Nazneen Sultana, a parent of a student attending YWCA Primary School in the Khawaja Road area, stated, “The entire area from Bahaddarhat to Khawaja Road is knee-deep in water. Despite the challenging conditions, I brought my child to school because of an exam.”
Blame-game continues
Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury stated that the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) has only excavated a small portion, not even one fourth, of the required soil (9.5 million cubic meters) from the canals under their project. The canal width has been reduced to create roads. Further decrease in the canal’s depth occurred due to insufficient soil excavation. As a result, the water flow has been significantly reduced.
Furthermore, the sluice gates have not been made operational, and no arrangements have been put in place for water drainage through pumps. These factors have contributed to the waterlogging problem in the city.
However, in response to this claim, CDA Chief Engineer Kazi Hasan bin Shams refuted the allegations and informed Prothom Alo that the canals under their project have been adequately maintained. Instead, he pointed out that the city corporation has not been diligent in cleaning the drains, which obstructs the water from flowing down to the canals. As a result, waterlogging becomes an issue.
Professor Muhammad Sikandar Khan, Chattogram President of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik, shared his views with Prothom Alo, stating that the population in Chattogram city is continuously increasing, leading to the expansion of infrastructure. However, improvements in supervision and maintenance work to ensure the smooth flow of rainwater, including keeping drains, sewers, and canals clean, as well as enhancing waste management, have not been made. He emphasised the need for holding government agencies accountable in this regard.
*This report, originally appeared in Prothom Alo print edition in Bangla, has been rewritten in English by Farjana Liakat