Government claims 75 percent of Chattogram’s waterlogging problem resolved

Deputy Press Secretary Azad said 88 percent of work to tackle the issue had already been completed

The interim government has claimed that 75 percent of Chattogram’s waterlogging has been resolved following the implementation of 88 percent of planned measures.

The information was shared by Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder on Wednesday after a meeting on the city’s waterlogging situation held at Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus’s official residence.

Speaking later at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy, he said: “A meeting was held to review the progress of various government projects undertaken to address waterlogging in Chattogram.”

Quoting discussions from the meeting, Azad said 88 percent of work under the four major projects taken to resolve the issue had already been completed.

“Commander of the 34 Engineering Construction Brigade, General Shamsul Alam, informed the meeting that following the chief advisor’s directives, various initiatives have already led to a 75 percent reduction in Chattogram’s waterlogging,” he added.

According to the report presented at the meeting, in 2023, 113 locations in Chattogram city experienced waterlogging lasting up to eight hours.

By 2025, that number has decreased to 21 locations, with water pooling for two to four hours.

The report expressed hope that by next year, the number of waterlogging-prone spots will drop to 10, and by 2027, the problem will reach a fully manageable level.

Poor waste management was identified as the primary cause of Chattogram’s waterlogging, with around 400 tonnes of waste being dumped daily into the city’s rivers, canals, and drains.

Officials from the Chattogram City Corporation said the city produces around 3,200 tonnes of waste daily, of which 2,700 to 2,800 tonnes can be cleared with the corporation’s current capacity.