CHATTOGRAM, Aug 20: The inhabitants of the port city here are still suffering from waterlogging during rainy season despite multiple government schemes to address the problem for good.
The government undertook several projects in 2018 with an eye to relieving the residents of this recurrent trouble but to little avail. Waterlogging is disturbing the city life to the full.
Most low-lying areas here have gone under knee-deep water due to continuous rainfall for the past two days since Monday, thereby causing untold public sufferings and affecting their normal life.
The deluged lowlands include Bakalia, Chandgaon, Bahaddarhat, Chawkbazar, Badurtala, Nasirabad, Halishahar, Patenga, Kattali and Chaktai.
The streets looked vacant as the movement of vehicles and the pedestrians was negligible due to heavy shower as the inhabitants of those areas remained stranded for inundation.
The local Met office has recorded 113 millimetres of rainfall in the last 24 hours until 3:00 pm Tuesday. It forecasts rain for the next three to four days.
According to sources, the Bay of Bengal is very rough due to monsoon wind. Signal number 3 has been in place for Chattogram seaport since August 16.
Mohammed Sekandar, a Khatunganj wholesaler, said tidal water entered Chaktai, Khatunganj and Asadganj areas during the rain on Monday night causing damage to essential items.
Business leaders of the Khatunganj Merchants Welfare Association demanded that illegal establishments be evicted from the bank of Chaktai canal.
They also called for digging the canal and a halt to the dumping of garbage in it.
According to sources, 75-per cent work on a 2018 mega project to the tune of Tk 60 billion (6,000 crore) has so far been done to reclaim 36 out of 57 canals.
It is hoped that the navigation of the 36 canals will become normal after the implementation of the project, easing the waterlogging problem.
Many say the remaining 21 canals will be a cause for concern in future.
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