Water-logging is a recurring problem for Dhaka, which the residents of this city are painfully aware of.
Bangladesh is a country that experiences heavy rainfall every year, and as a result, cities like Dhaka and Chittagong often come to a standstill due to water-logging.
Even though we hear assurances from the authorities that the problem is being dealt with, the truth is, there is no realistic sign that the situation is getting any better, and one look at our roads makes that clear.
The problem lies largely in our faulty drainage system, which causes our roads to start resembling water bodies even after moderate amounts of rainfall; heavy rainfall, of course, leaves the city nothing short of crippled, with some parts of the capital experiencing water several feet high.
There is absolutely no reason citizens of a major metropolis like Dhaka should have to live this way.
One of the reasons that year after year the problem remains unsolved is the lack of cooperation between our government agencies; Dhaka Wasa and our city corporations have consistently failed to work together in harmony to formulate a sustainable solution, with both parties avoiding to take responsibility.
Waste disposal is an issue within the purview of the city government which needs to be addressed without delay, as waste in Dhaka, particularly plastic waster matter, is rarely properly disposed of, often being thrown out into the streets, causing our drains to clog up leaving the water with no place to go.
In order to turn Dhaka into a truly liveable city -- one that does not get flooded every year -- the government needs to make fixing water-logging a priority.
We cannot let water-logging hold the city hostage.
