Billions Spent, Streets Still Flooded: Dhaka Remains Paralyzed by Seasonal Rains
Photo Collected
Heavy rainfall submerged large swaths of Dhaka on Sunday, paralyzing the capital and exposing the systemic failure of the city’s drainage infrastructure despite billions of taka spent on modernization efforts.
The downpour, which saw 158 millimeters of rain fall within a 12-hour period, turned major thoroughfares into canals and inundated residential neighborhoods. For many residents, the day was defined by immense hardship: vehicles stalled in knee-deep water, homes were flooded, and numerous educational institutions were forced to suspend classes and examinations.
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The persistent flooding stands in stark contrast to previous government promises. Over the last decade, authorities—including the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) and the two city corporations—invested at least 2.146 billion taka into canal dredging, drain construction, and flood mitigation projects. Officials from past administrations had repeatedly assured the public that drainage systems would be upgraded to clear water within 15 minutes of heavy rain.
Urban planners argue that the current crisis stems from a lack of integrated planning. While city officials often categorize the flooding as temporary “water-logging” caused by extreme rainfall, experts point to the structural failures of the city’s drainage network. Much of the system remains obstructed by silt, construction debris, and illegal encroachment of canals. Furthermore, the final “outlets” required to channel water into rivers are frequently blocked, narrow, or disconnected from the primary drainage network.
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The impact was visible across the city, from Mirpur and Kazipara to Dhanmondi, Motijheel, and the New Market area. At the New Market, where water levels made it difficult to distinguish the road from the sidewalk, businesses remained closed throughout the day, and electricity was cut as a precautionary measure. Business owners noted that the area’s longstanding drainage issues were exacerbated years ago when a crucial outflow path through Pilkhana was closed for security reasons, with no effective alternative provided since.
City engineers acknowledge that their current systems are generally capable of handling only 30 to 50 millimeters of rainfall within a two-hour window, making the city ill-equipped for more intense storms. Even with additional personnel deployed to clear drainage points, the sheer volume of rain overwhelmed the capacity of available pumping stations.
The inadequacy of the response has drawn sharp criticism. Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Md. Abdus Salam admitted that previous administrative claims regarding the city’s flood readiness were disconnected from reality, noting that the focus must shift from political rhetoric to sustainable infrastructure.
Urban planning experts, including Professor Adil Muhammad Khan of Jahangirnagar University, argue that the city lacks a master plan to connect natural waterways with artificial drainage. Without a coordinated approach to ensure water can actually reach its intended outlet, the cycle of heavy spending followed by recurring flooding is expected to continue.
For residents like Sohrab Sardar, a motorcycle taxi driver, the consequences are immediate and personal. After his bike stalled in the submerged streets of Kazipara, he spent the entirety of his day’s meager 300-taka earnings on repairs, leaving him with no income to show for his labor and highlighting the quiet, daily toll of the city’s infrastructure failures.
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