Residents in several parts of Dhaka are facing severe water crisis as Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Dhaka Wasa) failed to adequately supply water all over the city because of lack of proper monitoring and maintenance.
Shahjadpur, Khilkhet, Badda, Bepari Goli of Mogbazar, Basabo, Madartek, Old Dhaka, Azimpur and Mohammadpur are among the areas reeling under the crisis as water supply to the places either has been stopped or is too slow to meet the daily needs.
Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, residents in the areas said they had not got adequate water supply from Dhaka Wasa in the last one month.
Mousumi Akhter, a resident of Shahjadpur, said water crisis, combined with the summer heat, was seriously affecting their everyday lives.
“The excruciating heat wave is making us physically ill, and the shortage of water added to this. We are struggling a lot as we have to walk a long away to collect water from alternative sources and/or buy bottled water which is not always affordable.”
In the last two weeks they got water from Wasa for a few minutes only around midnight, and in the daytime they did not get a drop of water, she claimed.
“What will we do if this continues to happen during the month of Ramadan?” Moushumi asked.
Echoing her, Md Sabbir Ahmed of Basabo said they were, too, facing the irregularity of water supply.
Annoyed with the Dhaka Wasa’s setbacks in resolving water-logging and water crisis, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sayeed Khokon recently remarked it had become a “failed” institution.
Seeking anonymity, a Dhaka Wasa official said: “The onus to resolve water crisis in Dhaka’ southern part lies with DSCC.”
Citing frequent power cuts as one of the reasons, he pinned the blame partly on Dhaka Electric Supply Authority (Desa) as it fails to provide electricity as required to keep their generators operational.
“We have around 250 generators as an alternative energy source during load-shedding. But many are lying dysfunctional as nearly half of them were procured before 1996,” the official said, conceding their incapacity to resolve the crisis alone.
Denying the objections, Dhaka Wasa Managing Director Taqsem A Khan, however, said: “I am not informed of water shortage in the areas. However, few problems might occur in certain areas for some unsuspected reasons. Such problems are common and may occur all the year round.
“I will ask the Wasa officials concerned to take steps to resolve water crisis problems, if any.” He assured that they would provide uninterrupted water supply during the Ramadan.Padma Water Treatment PlantAround 40% of work of Padma Water Treatment Plant at Jasholdia point of Munshiganj has been completed, and the Wasa is hopeful that project will be completed by December next year, officials told a press briefing at Jashaldia on Thursday.
Taqsem Khan said: “The areas to be covered by the plant are entire Old Dhaka, Mohammadpur, and part of Dhanmondi and Kawran Bazar.”
Thursday, June 04, 2026
