The low-lying areas in Chittagong were flooded as the torrential downpour for the last three days left the port city waterlogged.
The city’s main roads, alleys and sub-lanes of the low-lying areas were submerged in knee-deep water, causing suffering to the locals.
The ground floor of the Agrabad Maa O Shishu Hospital was flooded leaving patients and their relatives in extreme disarray. The floor had to be completely evacuated.
“One of my relatives has been admitted here since last week. However, the hospital's ground floor was unexpectedly flooded last Thursday,” Saifuddin, a relative of a patient undergoing treatment at the hospital told Dhaka Tribune
“The whole first floor of the building was submerged, including the hospital reception area. Because of the constant rain, the water level does not decrease. We, the patient's relatives, have fallen into deep trouble,” he added.
Meanwhile, Upma Sultana, a resident of Bakalia DC Road area, said that the area has been flooded for three days.
“The main road is almost waist-deep in water, with many lanes entirely submerged,” she said.
“Because of the waterlogging, no one can get out. It will be impossible for us to eat, drink water, and move if the rain continues for another two or four days,” she added.
Four projects worth Tk 10,000 crore has been underway in Chittagong city for more than four years to alleviate the waterlogging.
City dwellers are yet to receive the benefits of the projects being implemented by the Chittagong Development Authority and the Water Development Board.
The Patenga Meteorological Office recorded 147.7 mm of rainfall till 6 pm on Sunday (June 19).
The rains will continue for a couple more days due to the active effect of monsoon winds, said Mazharul Islam, a meteorologist at the Patenga Meteorological Office.
He added that the rainfall may decrease from Tuesday.
Deaths in landslides on the rise
Rains brought back panic among the city dwellers as four more people died on Saturday in a landslide.
Lack of coordination among the government entities in protecting the hills and rehabilitating at-risk residents is exacerbating the situation, the residents alleged.
According to the district administration, there are communities at the foot of 26 hills in and around the port city. Nearly, 365 installations have been identified as extremely dangerous, and eviction has been ordered.
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Meanwhile, at the Hill Management Committee's 13th meeting in 2015, it was decided to send a letter to the people living at risk in the foothills for disconnection of electricity, water and gas.
Another meeting of the committee was held on March 27 this year. Letters were sent to the three concerned agencies by May 15 to report on the illegal connection of electricity, water and gas in the hilly area. However, none of the agencies reported to the committee.
When the minutes of the Hill Management Committee's 23rd meeting from 2015 to 2022 were reviewed, it was discovered that each meeting decided to disconnect illegal electricity, water, and gas in the hills.
Asked about illegal electricity connections, Mohammad Rezaul Karim, chief engineer of PDB's Chittagong South, said it was an integrated process to terminate illegal power connections in risky hills. We work there with the assistance of the district administration, in line with the hill management committee's decision. As soon as the operation to evict illegal installations in the dangerous hills begins, all illegal electricity connections will be disconnected.”
Meanwhile, Prof Dr Idris Ali, president of the Chittagong Chapter of the Bangladesh Environment Forum, said the hills are not being protected due to the unprofessionalism of the administration and the lethargy of the politicians. After 127 people were killed in a landslide in 2007, a 36-point recommendation was submitted. The death toll from the landslide is not going to stop as it has not been implemented yet.
A total of 127 people died in a landslide in the Motijharna area of Lalkhanbazar on June 11, 2007. Following the tragedy, an official investigation committee found 28 causes of the landslide.
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mominur Rahman said thousands of people live at risk of falling prey to landslides in the Akbarshah area. Eviction activities are carried out every year, but even then, they come back and start reliving there. He said that the residents in the area would be evicted in phases very soon.
