Chittagong under water, again

CHITTAGONG city, our second most important city, was practically flooded again after only an hour and a half of downpour on Monday. Pictures of people wading through knee-deep water are evidence of what Chittagong's residents face every time there are rains. This is a problem that has plagued this beautiful port city for years on end, despite the certainty of the rains that will keep coming for several months of the year.

This time the people of Chittagong are truly fed up and have slated water-logging as a major electoral issue in the upcoming Chittagong City Corporation elections. They are particularly indignant because the outgoing mayor had actually won the last mayoral elections against a formidable opponent because of his promise to voters that he would solve the water-logging problem. He even initiated a project to dig a three kilometre canal with an estimated TK 289 crore, an endeavour that is yet to be implemented. 

Thus the outgoing mayor, who is contesting for the position again, will have a tough time winning over his disappointed voters because of his failure to solve a problem as basic as this.

Chittagong City Corporation has added that just digging canals and drains will not prevent the flooding of the port city. Unplanned urbanisation and the abandonment of the Chittagong Drainage Master plan the CCC says, are the root causes of the problem.

Chittagong is an important hub for trade and commerce as well as for the tourism industry. We hope that the next mayor will live up to the voters' expectations of a flood-free, functional city.