Eliminate the Suffering of People Affected by Floods, Waterlogging, and Disasters

This year, the monsoon season began in full swing by mid-Joishtho (late May). Due to a deep depression, there is heavy rain with gusty winds across the country. As a result, anticipated with dread that flood conditions may arise within the next two days in at least six districts. In Dhaka and other major cities, knee-deep water has accumulated. Due to the impact of the depression, there was a tidal wave in several coastal areas yesterday.

According to reports from various news sources on Friday (May 30), excessive rainfall has disrupted ferry and waterway transportation in several regions. Heavy rain has caused severe waterlogging in Dhaka and multiple other cities, resulting in great suffering for the general public. The Flood Forecasting and Warning Center has warned that flood situations may arise in Feni, Moulvibazar, Sunamganj, Habiganj, Sylhet, and Netrokona. However, conditions are expected to improve starting Saturday.

Even if the situation temporarily improves, it’s important to remember that it is only the month Joishtho. The peak monsoon months of Asharh (June-July) and Shraban (July-August) are yet to come. Even the month of Bhadra (August-September) now experiences heavy rainfall. Alongside this, there is a looming threat of more deep depressions in the sea. A low-pressure system typically brings continuous rainfall to coastal areas and various districts. Just a couple of days of uninterrupted rain can submerge Dhaka and other cities underwater. This happens because our drainage system is in shambles. Governments come and go, offering plenty of talk on these issues, but meaningful action remains absent. Meanwhile, digging and pipe-laying continue. In the narrow alleys of Old Dhaka, these works are still ongoing—but with no effective results. Instead of solving the problem, they only add to public suffering.

Talks about reducing the suffering of coastal residents have also been ongoing for a long time. Yet, even a slight tidal surge is enough to inundate coastal regions. People are questioning why strong and elevated embankments have not yet been built in these areas. Trees are cut down, millions are spent in the name of embankment construction, and though embankments are built in some places, even minor tidal surges cause them to break or get submerged. What kind of embankment is this? Coastal residents are demanding to know why millions of government funds are being washed away under the pretense of embankment construction.

This year’s early flooding is a warning signal for us. If this crisis is not tackled quickly, it will escalate further. We should have learned from last year’s flood. But we did not. The rivers were not dredged. No improvements were made to drainage management to resolve waterlogging. Every year when the monsoon arrives, Dhaka drowns in water. A nightmarish situation unfolds. Even moderate rainfall leads to widespread flooding in many areas. Transportation comes to a halt, and ordinary people suffer greatly. This crisis is not just a temporary inconvenience- it is the result of years of mismanagement.

We demand that these problems be resolved as quickly as possible. Urgent measures must be taken to alleviate the suffering of people affected by floods, waterlogging, and natural disasters. Without long-term and well-thought-out plans from the government, there is no way out of this crisis.