State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Mir Shah Alam said that exaggerated claims were spread on social media regarding the recent waterlogging situation in Chattogram city. He alleged that old photographs from 2023 were used to create misleading narratives about the city.
He said that Chattogram was not submerged under water; rather, temporary water congestion occurred in some areas due to heavy rainfall.
The minister made the remarks on Thursday after visiting several key parts of the city to inspect the progress of canal excavation, diversion channels, regulators, and road development works.
Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain, Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Eng Nur Kabir, senior army officials and representatives of relevant officials were present during the visit.
Shah Alam said the Prime Minister had instructed him to immediately travel to Chattogram and coordinate with the concerned agencies after the issue was raised in Parliament.
“I have been visiting different parts of the city since last night. The situation was not as severe as portrayed on social media and by some media outlets,” he said.
He said, sudden rainfall of 80 to 90 millimeters naturally takes some time to drain. “This should not be termed waterlogging; it was temporary water congestion. Real waterlogging is when water remains stagnant for three to four days,” he explained.
The minister said that among the city’s 36 canals, development works are ongoing in several of them, which caused water to accumulate in some areas. Temporary barriers, retaining walls, and construction obstructions disrupted the natural flow of water.
However, Chattogram City Corporation, the Army Engineering Brigade, CDA, and the Water Development Board jointly took swift action to ensure drainage.
He announced that ongoing drain and canal development works would be limited before the monsoon season, while temporary barriers and retaining walls would be removed. Construction work will resume after the rainy season.
Shah Alam claimed that compared to 2024, Chattogram’s waterlogging situation has improved by 70 to 80 percent in 2025. He expressed hope that when the ongoing projects are completed by December, a more permanent solution would become visible.
He said that unusual natural disasters are beyond human control, but canals, sluice gates, and drainage systems are being upgraded based on expert designs. “Under normal rainfall, there will be no waterlogging, though several hours of water congestion may occur during extremely heavy rain,” he said.
The minister also announced the formation of a coordination committee led by the mayor, involving all service agencies, to address the city’s drainage issues more effectively. An official gazette notification will be issued soon.
Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain said the City Corporation would support small business owners affected by the recent water congestion.
He also claimed that nearly 60 percent of Chattogram’s waterlogging problem has been reduced over the past year. “We are working in coordination with CDA, the Army, the Water Development Board, and other agencies to solve a 30-year-old problem,” he said.
During the inspection, the minister visited Mahesh Regulator, Mahesh Khal Kumar Regulator, Barek Building intersection, Kotwali intersection, Marine Drive, Mariam Bibi area, Kalabagan, Tekpara, Chaktai, Rajakhali canal, Bakalia Access Road intersection, Chaktai diversion canal, Chandanpura, Chawkbazar Fultala Bridge, Kapasgola, Katalganj, and Probortok intersection.
He said the government is reviewing the progress, cost increases, and time extensions of the Chattogram waterlogging mitigation project. Information from all project phases between 2016 and 2026 is under review, and further decisions will be taken through inter-ministerial discussions.
The minister said temporary suffering caused by canal renovation works would bring long-term benefits for city residents. Contractors have been instructed to remove machinery and barriers from several points to restore normal water flow.
He said 36 canals are being handed over to Chattogram City Corporation for maintenance, beautification, walkway operations, and cleanliness. A netting system will be introduced to prevent waste dumping into canals. For one year after handover, the Army and City Corporation will jointly oversee maintenance activities.
At the end of the visit, Shah Alam thanked journalists for their role in informing the public about the recent situation.