In Shukrabad, a neighborhood in Ward-17 of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), even a brief shower is enough to paralyse daily life. A half-hour downpour can leave streets submerged in knee-deep—or sometimes even waist-deep—water. With prolonged rain, ground floors of homes and shops often flood, making life unbearable for residents.
“Whenever it rains, water accumulates. This has been going on for many years. Even though we repeatedly inform the city corporation, no initiative is taken. They do not want to understand our problem,” said Arman, a resident of the area
Nighttime hazards
While residents may manage to navigate during the day, nights bring heightened risks. Passengers, rickshaws, and CNG drivers face the brunt of the crisis. Vehicles sometimes get stuck in potholes or open manholes, and commuters fall into dirty water, sustaining injuries.
Resident Mohammad Billal Hossain told Dhaka Tribune, “Returning home around 10–11 pm, I often can’t tell where the road is broken and where it is intact. One day, I fell and the important papers I was carrying got ruined. Lack of proper lighting at night makes moving through the water even more difficult.”
The area’s low-lying topography, poor drainage system, and accumulated garbage in manholes are major factors behind the waterlogging. Water from nearby elevated areas—West Rajabazar, Sobhanbagh Quarters, Dhanmondi 27, and the parliament area—flows downhill into Shukrabad. In some cases, water from lower areas even comes up through manholes.
Locals note that piles of garbage along 25th lane, which belong to the city corporation, block drains and worsen flooding during rain.
Daily life disrupted
The situation is particularly severe along narrow lanes beside Shukrabad Bazar Mosque, the broken market slope from the councilor’s office, and the main road up to Tallabag. The worst-hit is 25th lane, where water floods most houses and shops.
Atik, a tenant of the area, said: “Even a little rain makes water enter through the house gate, submerging the ground floor. Children’s travel to school and college, and commuting to offices, becomes unbearable. Furniture gets damaged, walls become wet and damp, and floating dirt spreads foul odor. If the water is high, clothes get soaked even while riding a rickshaw.”
Shuvo, a shopkeeper, added, “If rainwater accumulates, we cannot open our shops. Even if we manage to open, no customers come. If rains continue for long, our merchandise gets wet and damaged.”
During waterlogging, rickshaws become the only reliable mode of transport. Residents said while normal fares are Tk20, crossing through rainwater can cost Tk50 to Tk100. Many are forced to walk through dirty water to save money.
A similar situation is observed from Tallabag Amtola to Sobhanbagh Quarters and the lane in front of West Rajabazar Mosque. Broken roads make movement even more difficult, preventing cycling, rickshaw, van, or bike rides. High water hides the path and increases accident risk.
DSCC’s response
Dhaka South City Corporation Executive Engineer Saiful Islam Joy said: “The low position of Shukrabad and the drainage line towards Hatirjheel are the main reasons for waterlogging. The Hatirjheel switch gate remains closed, preventing water from Shukrabad, Green Road, and nearby areas from flowing out. When the situation worsens, the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) is informed to open the gate, allowing water to drain quickly. However, if dirty water enters Hatirjheel, it harms the environment, so Rajuk usually keeps the switch gate closed.”
He added that manholes in the Shukrabad area will be cleaned promptly, which will reduce waterlogging to some extent. He also assured residents that initiatives for a permanent solution would be undertaken with proper approval.
Residents demand action
Residents have called for a separate drainage system for Shukrabad and effective interventions from both the DSCC and Rajuk to ease public sufferings caused by waterlogging.