Waterlogging has been a perennial problem for Dhaka city, and we all know the reason behind it. Rampant encroachment of water bodies has resulted in water remaining stagnant in many areas as there is nowhere for it to go. Canals, ponds, and parts of rivers have been filled up to satisfy the greed of encroachers who often enjoyed political patronage. Hatirjheel is one of the latest casualties of this unplanned development that threatens to further worsen Dhaka's waterlogging problem.

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Hatirjheel lake, scenic spot or a crime scene?

According to a report, over the past 17 months, more than 10 acres of Hatirjheel Lake have been filled with sand as part of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway project. Authorities claim that the move was necessary to build 41 pillars for the project, despite warnings that it would severely disrupt the lake's natural water flow and reduce its capacity to retain excess rainwater. As a result, there would be increased waterlogging particularly in Dilu Road, Karwan Bazar, Banglamotor, Moghbazar and Tejgaon areas. Hatirjheel's biodiversity would also be affected, damaging habitats of aquatic life and destroying bird nesting areas.

This year's floods in various parts of the country proved to be more severe precisely because floodwaters stagnated for days on end as most water bodies have been filled up or blocked by unplanned infrastructure development.

It is unthinkable that despite such dire risks, the authorities would allow this move to continue. Reportedly, the approval for the filling initiative came directly from the former Prime Minister's Office. And despite this violating Dhaka's Detailed Area Plan (2022) as well as the Environment Conservation (Amendment) Act 2010, both Rajuk and the Department of Environment remained silent. Now that the former regime has been ousted, we expect things to be different. Given the current environment adviser's track record for fighting against encroachment of rivers and waterbodies, we hope this dangerous initiative would be scrapped soon.

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The expressway’s hope of reducing traffic is not lost yet

While the elevated expressway has made life easier for many city dwellers in terms of mobility, it cannot be at the expense of the integrity of Hatirjheel or citizens' safety from environmental impacts. The government must stop the expansion immediately and develop a plan to undo the damage already caused and protect the lake in the future. This year's floods in various parts of the country proved to be more severe precisely because floodwaters stagnated for days on end as most water bodies have been filled up or blocked by unplanned infrastructure development. The interim government should identify all at-risk water bodies in Dhaka and other cities that have been filled up or encroached upon, and take urgent steps to free them.