Consumers' Association of Bangladesh (CAB) said the lack of coordination among government agencies and the apparent absence of accountability in the port city's administration were to blame for the water logging problem in Chittagong.
As images of water-logged streets and people wading through knee-deep water captured national imagination in the wake of Chittagong rains on Monday, the government's failure was once again exposed.
Most of the areas in the port city went under knee-to-waist deep water due to incessant downpour since Sunday night, causing immense sufferings for the city dwellers. Pothole-riddled roads have been a constant feature of Chittagong city over several years, despite claims of road repairs before every monsoon.
Against this backdrop, Consumers Association of Bangladesh issued a press release on Wednesday and sought urgent intervention of the Prime Minister to address the unending water logging problem.
The advocacy group also demanded coordination among the government agencies concerned in the port city. CAB is one of the key members of the National Consumer Rights Protection Council under Ministry of Commerce.
At present, six agencies, including the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC), Chittagong Development Authority (CDA), Chittagong Wasa, Chittagong Port Authority (CPA), district administration and Water Development Board (WDB) have a say in the port city's development.
CAB said that poor coordination among them affects planning.
Meanwhile, Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) is implementing a mammoth Tk5,616 crore development project titled: 'Canal re-excavation, extension, renovation and development to address water logging in Chittagong'.
CAB, however, observed that the progress in the ongoing project is said to be insignificant. The CCC has no scope to avoid its responsibility. Because, the city corporation is run by an elected representative, the CAB statement highlights.
Instead of standing by the people suffering from water logging, the public representatives are trying to pass their bucks onto others. The water logging problem is also having a heavy toll on the trade and commerce. Every year, city administration and local government authorities blame each other for the poor condition of roads in the city.
The port city is becoming uninhabitable due to the perennial problem. It will have a negative impression among people about the ongoing development projects and the government's achievements will go unrecognized if the chronic problem is not addressed, read the statement.
The statement was signed jointly by CAB vice president SM Nazer Hossain, Chittagong divisional secretary Kazi Iqbal Bahar, city unit president Jesmine Sultana and secretary Sjay Mitra.
Over the last decade, not much has changed on the ground for the inhabitants in the port city. The problems of water-logging, administrative apathy and lack of monsoon preparedness continue to haunt people residing in vast majority parts of the city.
