LGRD Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said the government has taken a series of coordinated short‑ and long‑term initiatives through Dhaka North and South City Corporations to address the capital’s long‑standing waterlogging problems.
Responding to a question in parliament from Rumeen Farhana, independent lawmaker from Brahmanbaria‑2, the minister on Tuesday outlined the specific measures now being implemented in the city.
DNCC initiatives
Fakhrul said Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has identified 108 waterlogging-prone hotspots and is working towards permanent solutions for these areas. To ensure a swift response, 21 Quick Response Teams (QRTs) have been formed in 10 regions.
These teams regularly clean pits, catch pits, and drainage lines, resulting in a significant reduction in waterlogging in various locations.
Regarding infrastructure development, he informed the House that during 2024-25 fiscal year, DNCC constructed and developed 110.93 kilometres of roads and 105.89 kilometres of drains. Plans for 2025-26 fiscal year include the construction and development of a further 115 kilometres of roads and 120 kilometres of drains.
To maintain the natural flow of canals, 360 cleaners are permanently engaged in cleaning activities. The boundaries of 29 canals and one regulating pond have been demarcated, with 1,181 boundary pillars installed to prevent illegal encroachment.
DSCC activities
Addressing the activities of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), Fakhrul noted that rainwater from a 109.24 square kilometre area is currently discharged through three outlets – Kamalapur TT Para, Dholaikhal, and Hatirjheel – which he described as insufficient for the city’s needs.
To rectify this, proposals for two new outlets have been submitted to the Ministry. Additionally, under World Bank-funded “Metro Dhaka Resilience Project,” a large-scale outlet (major drain) is planned for construction from Gulistan to Sadarghat.
Fakhrul also highlighted ongoing work to construct a box culvert and an 8-foot diameter large drain to facilitate the rapid discharge of water from the Shyampur canal into the Buriganga River.
Within the DSCC area, 33 waterlogging hotspots have been identified, including New Market, Naiem Road, Green Road, Shantinagar, Mugda Medical, Madrasah Education Board, Majed Sardar Road, and West Malibagh.
To mitigate problems in these areas, the re-excavation and cleaning of 22 canals, the cleaning of four box culverts, and ward-based drainage cleaning are currently underway. Six portable pumps have also been deployed to quickly remove rainwater during instances of waterlogging, he said.
Under the government-funded project titled “Canal Recovery, Renovation and Creation of Aesthetic Environment,” the excavation and sustainable development of four major canals – Kalunagar, Shyampur, Jirani, and Manda – are continuing.
He said the permanent solution to the capital’s waterlogging lies in the coordinated implementation of infrastructure development, the construction of new drainage systems, canal recovery, and the regular maintenance of existing drainage networks.
Voting rights for NRBs
In a separate response to a written question from Cumilla-4 constituency lawmaker Md Abul Hasnat, Fakhrul informed Parliament that Election Commission (EC) has introduced an IT-supported postal ballot registration system.
This initiative is designed to ensure the voting rights of non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) for the first time.
He noted that Election Commission is working to bring the maximum number of NRBs under the postal ballot framework to allow them to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming national elections.
