Waterlogging in the capital

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AT last monsoon has arrived to relieve all of us from the unbearable hot spell, which had prevailed in the country for the last couple of months. But soon after the temperature plummeted with the downpour, another problem has surfaced to acutely affect us. It is the revisit of the unresolved waterlogging problem.
Dhaka was awash with knee-deep waters last Thursday and the subsequent Sunday with heavy rainfall for a couple of hours. Different areas of the metropolitan city came to a standstill while heavy shower dropped cats and dogs. If similar downpour continues for a day and a night, this city might transform into a big lake with its residents locked indoors. The sufferings of the people will not know any bound. Perhaps, they would require boats to ply along the known roads that they now move along in motorised public and personal transports and pedalled rickshaws.
The waterlogging problem of the said two days has reminded us that nothing meaningful and workable has been done in the past for improving the drainage system of the city. Every year, Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) carries development works and spends a huge amount for supposedly improving the draining system. But we are yet to experience any positive change in the system. Who should be accountable and tell us how long will we be experiencing this problem? We do not know whether the caretaker government has a realistic programme to give relief to the city people from this problem. Whether it has given enough allocation in the proposed budget for fiscal 2007-08 for the failing WASA to redo its unsuccessful, aborted jobs.
No one will deny the fact that the problem of seasonal waterlogging in Dhaka city has to be resolved for the sake of saving the capital and facilitating easy movement of its residents during the rains. But the WASA is not alone responsible to improve the situation. There are other parties, like RAJUK, real estate companies, independent house owners, market operators etc., who are equally responsible for damaging the city's drainage system with ill-planned constructions. All should make their own efforts to help improve the drainage system. But the government has to make the concerned departments and agencies free from corruption so that all development works are undertaken without comprises here and there and the people can see results.
Sanzida Begum
Chamelibagh, Dhaka