District Correspondent, Sylhet: Waterlogging and floods have become a nightmare for the residents of Sylhet city. With the onset of the monsoon, anxiety grips the locals. In June last year, Sylhet, a city populated by expatriates, was submerged thrice in just 15 days. Boats moved freely on the streets of the city. This year, the concern has emerged even before the monsoon has started.
The Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) has expanded from 27 wards to 42. However, the city corporation currently has no elected representatives. Administrative officials are managing the duties, but they are not well aware of the conditions in the wards. Additionally, the city corporation lacks a permanent urban planner. The city’s master plan exists only on paper, and no one knows its details. Furthermore, the waterlogging mitigation project has been discontinued. Although three new projects worth 10,000 crore BDT have been proposed, none have materialized yet. Among these, two await ministry approval, and another is set to be submitted soon.
To make matters worse, reliable sources from SCC report that the corporation is facing a severe financial crisis, making it challenging to implement necessary measures. Officials at SCC allege that the city is a victim of development disparity. Previously, two projects worth 1,225 crore BDT and 50 crore BDT were undertaken to address waterlogging and flood control, but they yielded little success. Consequently, the city remains prone to waterlogging and floods.
Former mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury expressed his concerns, stating, “Sylhet is a city of expatriates and a year-round tourist destination. During my tenure, I used to ensure that all drains, canals, and streams were cleaned 5-6 months before the monsoon. Even then, protecting the city from waterlogging was challenging because Sylhet’s geographical and environmental conditions are vastly different from other cities. At that time, the city comprised only 27 wards. Now, it has expanded to 42 wards, but even the basic work has not been done yet.
“Light rainfall in late March already gave a glimpse of what the upcoming monsoon might bring. The maintenance work undertaken by the SCC is inadequate to address waterlogging. Without immediate and proper initiatives, the city will likely be submerged once it rains heavily. I am planning to organize a meeting soon with residents to discuss this issue and take initiatives.”
To combat waterlogging and floods, excavation of the Surma River had begun at a cost of 50 crore BDT based on expert recommendations. Though the project was scheduled to be completed in 2023, it was finished last year under subpar conditions. As a result, residents have been living in fear of the monsoon.
Faruk Mahmud Chowdhury, the district president of Citizens for Good Governance (SHUJAN), stated, “Even without elected representatives, the city administration cannot shirk its responsibilities. They have years of experience working under mayors to address waterlogging and floods. They should promptly use that experience to initiate actions. Delays and excuses will only escalate public dissatisfaction with both the administration and the government.”
He also noted that a committee had been formed by SCC years ago to catalog and preserve ponds in the city, but no meetings have been held since its inception. This reflects the fate of many projects initiated by SCC.
SCC’s Chief Engineer Noor Azizur Rahman, who has served under three mayors, admitted, “A 1,228 crore BDT project for waterlogging mitigation was previously implemented, under which we constructed 450 km of drains. Later, the inclusion of 14 new wards in the project led to its expansion, with an increased budget proposal of 3,900 crore BDT sent to the ministry. A committee recommended a revised allocation of 2,500 crore BDT, but it has not yet been approved. Additionally, we submitted a proposal to prevent flooding caused by the Surma River. Initially estimated at 3,100 crore BDT, the revised proposal now stands at 6,600 crore BDT, which will be submitted soon.”
The Water Development Board (WDB) also plays a crucial role in addressing waterlogging and floods. Executive Engineer Dipak Ranjan Das stated that a 50 crore BDT Surma River excavation project was completed last year, with 10 crore BDT being refunded. However, consecutive floods and the project’s expiration halted further work.
He further added that a 1,050 crore BDT river excavation project proposal has recently been submitted to the ministry. The proposal includes dredging the Surma River from Kanaighat to Chatak. It is expected to be discussed in a ministry meeting next week.
According to reliable sources, proposals for waterlogging and flood mitigation face significant delays in approval and funding. This often results in projects not being completed on time, causing extensive damage to Sylhet during monsoon rains. Residents, therefore, demand immediate action from the city administration, including cleaning drains and canals and seeking the Navy’s assistance if necessary.
Experts and concerned citizens of Sylhet stress that urgent interim measures must be taken, along with effective long-term solutions, to make the city flood-free.
