Drainage system

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Only decades ago, Dhaka was a naturally protected city from flooding, waterlogging and related problems. This was because the city at that time had a far smaller population and, more significantly, unplanned urbanisation and unconscionable activities had not taken their toll. But now, the situation is completely different.
There existed some 26 canals and hundreds of large and small ponds and marshlands or wetlands in and around Dhaka even in the early seventies. But the canals were encroached upon and filled up and only five of them in a very narrowed and precarious state exist now ; the water bodies have been also largely filled up by real estate developers and others to build all kinds of structures on them.
The outcome of these activities has meant depriving the city of its natural drainage system during the monsoon period. The canals used to drain off flood and rain waters naturally and the water bodies played a part in holding excess water. Thus, largely deprived of this natural drainage system, the city these days suffers chronically from waterlogging and flooding.
Clearly, actions are needed to be taken on a high priority basis to preserve and improve the remaining natural drainage channels and recover the encroached ones .
M A Samad
Shantinagar, Dhaka