A long-awaited sewerage project in Chattogram has fallen years behind schedule, leaving much of the port city without a proper waste management system and worsening environmental pollution.
The project, undertaken by Chattogram WASA in 2018, aimed to establish a modern sewerage network across the metropolitan area within five years. However, nearly eight years later, only 73 percent of the work has been completed, and authorities are now seeking yet another extension.
Originally scheduled for completion in 2023, the project deadline was extended multiple times, most recently to June 2026. Officials now admit that completing the remaining 27 percent within the current timeframe is unlikely.
Slow progress, lingering sanitation crisis
In the absence of a comprehensive sewerage system, untreated human waste continues to flow into canals and drains across the city, causing foul odours and posing serious health risks.
The project, titled “Establishment of Sewerage System in Chattogram Metropolitan Area,” includes the construction of a central treatment plant in Halishahar capable of processing 100 million litres of waste per day, along with a smaller facility for septic tank waste.
Authorities are also installing around 200 kilometres of sewer pipelines to connect households to the system. So far, pipeline installation has reached about 64 percent, while civil construction of the treatment plant is nearly 90 percent complete. However, mechanical work at the plant stands at only 50 percent.
Once finished, the project is expected to serve around two million residents across 22 wards, covering approximately 36 square kilometres, with about 28,000 households connected.
Costs escalate sharply
The financial burden of the project has also risen significantly. Initially approved in 2018 by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council at a cost of Tk 3,808 crore, the budget has now increased to Tk 5,219 crore—an additional Tk 1,400 crore.
Officials attribute Tk 600 crore of the increase to fluctuations in the US dollar exchange rate, while another Tk 800 crore has been added for design improvements and future expansion.
Delays from the outset
The project faced setbacks from its early stages. Although approved in 2018, a project director was not appointed until April 2019. A Malaysian consulting firm was later engaged, and the tender process began in October 2020. A
South Korean contractor was finally appointed in January 2022, nearly three years after approval, with construction starting the same month.
Project Director Mohammad Ariful Islam said multiple challenges contributed to the delays, including the Covid-19 pandemic, late administrative decisions, and logistical difficulties in working on busy urban roads.
“Installing pipelines in major roads requires careful planning to avoid disrupting traffic and ensure public safety,” he said, adding that coordination with various service agencies and approval processes also slowed progress.
Work in densely populated areas has often been limited to nighttime hours, while complaints from residents over heavy machinery and intermittent funding shortages further hindered construction.
Experts cite planning gaps
Urban planning experts argue that weak project design and poor execution are at the heart of the delays.
Muhammad Rashidul Hasan, a professor at the Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, said repeated deadline extensions have become a common issue in large-scale development projects.
He emphasized the need for realistic planning, clear yearly targets, and contingency strategies to address unforeseen challenges.
“Completing the project on time will be difficult, but it is essential for improving environmental conditions, public health, and the city’s future urban management,” he added.
