Over 100 ponds filled up in Cumilla in 20 yrs to construct buildings

Once known as the 'City of Ponds', Cumilla now grapples with waterlogging even after minimal rainfall, as the ponds and reservoirs have been filled up, leaving no outlet for the water to go., reports bdnews24.com.
Investigations reveal that over the past two decades, more than 100 ponds and reservoirs, once the pride of the city, have been filled in to make way for buildings, significantly exacerbating the waterlogging problem.
A disturbing trend of authorities neglecting their duties as ponds were openly filled for construction purposes has surfaced. Accusations are mounting against government officials for their alleged involvement in these activities.
Despite the clear environmental impact, the Department of Environment's efforts to save the water bodies have been limited to issuing warnings, with few legal actions taken against the offenders.
The local administration is accused of knowingly overlooking the environmental destruction.
Cumilla boasted over 800 ponds after gaining independence, according to senior citizens and people aware of Cumilla's history, heritage, and environment. However, today, only about 200 remain, with around a hundred ponds being filled in the past 23 years - reflecting a significant loss of these critical water bodies.
According to locals, recently, a 100-year-old pond covering an area of 0.54 hectares has been completely filled inside Cumilla Central Jail, and 40 per cent of another pond covering 0.48 hectares has been filled.
In the second Muradpur area of the city, a part of the 250-year-old historical Hatipukur pond has been filled, along with 34 per cent of the century-old Narayan pond on the north side, the century-old pond of Borobari adjacent to Kazipara Eidgah and mosque in Ward No. 20, and the approximately 200-year-old Kazipukur in the same area - all filled within a few years.
The 300-year-old Chhotora Janglibibi pond has also been partially filled at different times, with ongoing efforts to fill the pond.
The ponds that have been filled up in Cumilla over the past 23 years include Jhautala Khan Shaheb's pond, Lucky House pond, two ponds beside Kasem ul Ulum Madrasa, Nadipa Housing pond, South Chartha's Thira pond, Telia pond in North Chartha, three ponds including Kalimandir pond in Sangraish area, two ponds in Suparibagan of Cumilla Bhasha Soinik Ajit Guha College, Bara Andar pond at Darogabari, Jonader pond on the south side of Farida Bidyayatan, Jhautala Christian Para pond, four ponds of Professor Para, two ponds behind Kotwali Police Station, and several ponds of Cumilla Police Lines and Roads and Highways Department on the banks of Dharmasagar Dighi.
Reviewing incidents from the past, it is evident that the administration has not restored a single pond.
The uncontrolled filling of reservoirs, including ponds, has significantly contributed to the increased waterlogging in Cumilla city.
Expressing concern over this situation, environmentalists emphasise the need for strict measures by the administration to protect the remaining ponds.
They warn that without intervention, Cumilla may lose all its ponds.
In 2015, two large ponds in the Christian Para of Jhautala area in Ward No. 10, were filled.
Currently, Mohammad Yusuf is constructing a five-storey building on one of these ponds.
Three floors of the building on the erstwhile pond have already been completed. Yusuf was not at home.
His wife Roksana Akhter said Yusuf, an expatriate, bought the land in 2018 and started constructing the house. The work is not done yet.
Roksana claims that this house is being built with the approval of the city corporation. They were aware that there was a pond on this land previously, but she said they did not fill it in.
The family of a man named Khorshed Alam has filled another large pond nearby. After the filling, a business establishment has been built on one side. Efforts are ongoing to construct a multi-storey building on the other side.
At Alam's house, there was no one available to provide information about the business built on the pond.
A 70-year-old resident in the area mentioned that both ponds were over a century old. Many locals resisted the filling of these ponds.
"But by manipulating the administration, shops and houses have been constructed here after the ponds were filled. Currently, the situation is such that if a fire breaks out in the area, there will be no water available to extinguish it," the senior citizen said.
The elderly man further explained that about a decade ago, the family members of late Hafiz Uddin filled a large pond in the WAPDA Office area on Shaheed Shamsul Haque Road next to the Nagar Bhaban of Cumilla City Corporation.
Two multi-storey buildings have already been built there, and a 13-storey building is currently under construction, with half of the building located on the filled area of the pond.
Locals said three of Hafiz's four daughters sold their property after the pond was filled, where these buildings have now been constructed.
Only the eldest daughter Ranu, who is identified by a single name and lives in the United States, has not sold her property yet.
The company developing the building declined to comment. Officials who did not give their names claimed they are constructing the building with the approval from City Corporation.
Historian and researcher Ahsanul Kabir from Cumilla recalls, "Once, Cumilla had fewer residents, but every house had a pond, and some had two. Around our home in the city's Bajrapur, where I was born, I'd seen seven or eight ponds."