Despite being a mega city, Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka is yet to have an effective drainage system that could ensure smooth flow of surplus water to nearby water bodies in a quick manner.
As a result, even a moderate rain causes knee-to-waist waterlogging at different spots of city thoroughfares, adding to the woes of city dwellers.
The public misery does not end here. When the authorities take initiatives to fix the water-logging problem that too brings sufferings to the city dwellers.
Once a road is dug for the maintenance of sewerage lines or drainage system, it normally takes several weeks to bring back its normal shape.
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The residents of the locality concerned have to go through untold sufferings to commute during the interim period. The city dwellers have long been experiencing the wide and old practice.
Slow pace of work and lack of coordination among the agencies concerned are the main culprits behind the scenario.
A UNB photographer took some photos of road digging from the Dhanmondi area on Sunday afternoon.
The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) dug the busy road around 20 days back, leaving a narrow space for people to commute.
Although nearly three weeks have elapsed, the drainage system is yet to be repaired. It is, no doubt, a matter of sorrow for all stakeholders.
Workers are busy repairing the drainage system. While talking to the UNB photographer, they said the work could be faster if more workers had been hired for the job.
The footpath has been dug in an unorganised manner and the debris are placed on the main road, leaving no space for pedestrians.
The road, in front of a super shop, has been in such a sorry state for the last few weeks.
Unplanned digging left no safe route to enter or exit from the mall. Here, people are crossing the area taking the risk of being trapped in a drain.
The drain can turn into a death trap at night, especially the children can easily slip into the open drain and embrace any unwanted fate.