In last few years, the government on several occasions formed various high-profile committees to free the capital city from severe waterlogging that occurs during the monsoon. But all its initiatives went in vain due to lack of coordinated and integrated efforts, sources in LGRD Ministry said. Inclusion of non-technical members only in those committees is also a reason behind their failures, they added.
Local government department sources said after the severe waterlogging in some divisional cities including the capital on August 1, 2017, the government initiated a high-profile committee comprising all stakeholders including Wasa and city corporations to resolve the issue in the country’s big cities. The committee was supposed to recommend amendments to age-old corporation laws to resolve water-logging. At that time, the then Minister Khandaker Mosharraf
Hossain said, ‘‘his committee has been formed to stop blame-gaming over waterlogging. The city of Dhaka has become unworthy of living. Though the government has all necessary organisations, there is no cooperation between their works at all. At present, the problem has deepened beyond description. We must learn a lesson from the situation.
Headed by the then additional secretary to Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Ministry Nasrin Akhter, the committee was formed with Wasa and city corporation representatives from Dhaka, Chattogram and Narayanganj. The committee was given one month’s time to recommend suggestions after evaluating legal sides of obstacles to resolve waterlogging. But after more than six months, the committee submitted a report termed ‘worthless’ by related officials.
A senior ministry source on anonymity said, ‘‘Immediately after the appointment, Nasrin Akter was transferred to another ministry being promoted to acting secretary. Before joining the new office, she submitted an incomplete report prepared in hurriedly.’’ While contacted by media, Nasrin was reluctant to talk over the issue. Concerned sources said, at present she is enjoying LPR.
Md Mesbahul Islam, a member of the Nasrin-led committee and presently acting secretary to Ministry of CHT Affairs, told the media, ‘‘It was a complex issue. As the scheduled time was limited the committee failed to reach its desired goal.’’ Sources said on February 4, 2018, a 13-member committee headed by an additional secretary was formed to suggest recommendations to resolve waterlogging in Dhaka city. Later the committee co-opted 12 more members. However, besides suggesting some short-term solutions, the committee in its report failed to produce any favourable outcome.
On May 9 of the same year, another 8-member ‘operation committee’ headed by additional secretary to LGD Md Mahbub Hossain was formed. This committee also failed to anything substantial, besides forming 10 vigilance committees and providing some suggestions over coordination of service sectors. Mahbub Hossain said, ‘‘Our committee is working on several issues. No organisation solely liable for the waterlogging problem. Although the government has put the responsibility on us, but non-technical persons like us cannot provide permanent solution to the problem. That’s why we have made some short-time recommendations.
