Published: 01:00 AM, 14 July 2026
Waterlogging: Time to End the Capital's Endless Misery
Every monsoon tells the same story in Dhaka. A few hours of moderate to heavy rainfall are enough to bring large parts of the capital to a standstill. Roads disappear under water, footpaths become unusable, traffic grinds to a halt, businesses suffer and millions of residents are forced to endure unnecessary hardship. What should be a manageable seasonal challenge has become a recurring urban crisis.
According to recent statistics, at least 103 locations across Dhaka went under water following Sunday's rainfall. Of these, 65 waterlogging hotspots are located in the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) area, while 38 are in the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC). In many of these locations, roads and footpaths remained submerged for hours, severely disrupting daily life.
This situation is not merely an inconvenience; it is a clear reflection of long-standing weaknesses in urban planning, infrastructure management and institutional coordination. The causes of Dhaka's waterlogging are well known to engineers, city planners and ordinary citizens alike. Yet despite this widespread understanding, meaningful and sustainable solutions have remained elusive because of inadequate planning, administrative inefficiency and a lack of coordinated action.
In late 2020, the responsibility for stormwater drainage was officially transferred from Dhaka WASA to the two city corporations. More than five years later, however, neither corporation has established a dedicated drainage department with sufficient technical expertise and manpower. Instead, the enormous responsibility of managing the capital's drainage system continues to rely on temporary arrangements, limiting the effectiveness of flood mitigation efforts.
The problem has been further compounded by the rapid disappearance of wetlands and natural water retention areas around Dhaka due to indiscriminate land filling. Many canals that once carried stormwater efficiently have been converted into box culverts, permanently obstructing the city's natural drainage network. At the same time, inadequate drainage outlets and an insufficient number of pumping stations have reduced the city's ability to remove excess rainwater during heavy downpours.
Addressing this chronic problem requires far more than emergency responses after every rainfall. It demands a comprehensive, coordinated and forward-looking strategy. The government should immediately approve dedicated drainage departments within both city corporations, equipped with modern technology, advanced equipment and qualified technical personnel. Institutional capacity must be strengthened if the city is to cope with increasingly unpredictable rainfall associated with climate change.
Equally important is the full implementation of the Dhaka WASA Drainage Master Plan 2016, updated where necessary to reflect present-day realities. Additional pumping stations should be installed in vulnerable areas, while the rivers surrounding Dhaka must be dredged regularly to improve their navigability and water-carrying capacity. Protecting existing wetlands and recovering illegally filled water bodies should also become national priorities, as these natural reservoirs play a crucial role in absorbing excess rainwater.
Separating sewerage lines from stormwater drainage is another urgent necessity. The current system often allows wastewater and rainwater to mix, creating not only waterlogging but also serious public health risks. Effective enforcement against illegal encroachment on canals and wetlands is equally essential if long-term resilience is to be achieved.
Following the historic mass uprising of 2024, citizens expect greater accountability from public institutions. The two city corporations, funded by taxpayers, can no longer afford to rely on excuses or shift responsibility. Dhaka's residents deserve efficient public services, transparent governance and lasting solutions rather than temporary measures after every spell of heavy rain.
Governments may change with time, but the everyday suffering of ordinary citizens should not remain a permanent feature of urban life. It is now imperative to move beyond the legacy of poorly planned mega-projects and fragmented urban management. By embracing scientific planning, institutional reform and coordinated implementation, Dhaka can finally overcome its chronic waterlogging problem and emerge as a modern, resilient and livable capital.
Ending this annual cycle of misery is no longer simply an infrastructure challenge-it is a test of governance, accountability and political commitment. The people of Dhaka have waited long enough.
