Government Dismisses Claims of Severe Waterlogging in Chattogram

In a formal statement delivered under Rule 300 in the National Assembly on Thursday, 30 April 2026, the State Minister for Local Government, Mir Shah Alam, dismissed widespread reports of severe waterlogging in Chattogram as “baseless.” The Minister maintained that recent rainfall resulted in temporary “water congestion” at five specific locations rather than systemic waterlogging across the metropolitan area.

The ministerial clarification follows a period of intense public and legislative scrutiny after reports emerged on 28 April suggesting that Chattogram had been inundated following heavy rainfall. The issue gained significant political traction when Sayeed Al Noman, a Member of Parliament representing the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), raised the matter on a “point of order” during a parliamentary session on Wednesday. In response to those initial reports, Prime Minister Tarik Rahman had expressed formal regret to the residents of Chattogram and pledged swift remedial action.

Verification of Field Conditions

Acting upon the Prime Minister’s directives, State Minister Mir Shah Alam conducted an on-site inspection of Chattogram Metropolitan from Wednesday through Thursday afternoon. During his briefing to the House, the Minister asserted that the narrative of the city being “afloat” was largely a product of misinformation circulated on social media platforms.

“The claim is entirely baseless, fabricated, and imaginary,” the State Minister informed lawmakers. “Photographs from 2024 were circulated to create a false impression of the current situation. Whilst the Prime Minister expressed his apologies based on the information available at the time, my direct interactions with the citizenry revealed a different reality.”

The Minister further noted that residents expressed appreciation for the Prime Minister’s gesture of empathy, viewing it as a sign of high-level accountability. According to the State Minister, locals observed that the severity of drainage issues has diminished significantly compared to the conditions witnessed one or two years prior.

Technical Analysis of the ‘Water Congestion’

The State Minister provided technical context regarding the events of 28 April, noting that the city experienced an exceptional 220 millimetres of rainfall within a concentrated period. He clarified that the resulting accumulation of water was not a failure of the drainage system but a temporary consequence of ongoing infrastructure works.

The metropolitan area contains a total of 57 canals. Currently, the Bangladesh Army is overseeing a comprehensive development project valued at 12,000 crore BDT, managed through the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA). The scope of this project involves 36 critical canals, of which:

• 30 canals have already undergone successful renovation and development.

• 6 canals remain under active construction.

Minister Mir Shah Alam explained that during the execution of these works, temporary dams and diversions had been constructed. The sudden intensity of the rainfall caused water to accumulate behind these barriers, leading to localised congestion at five points, including the Prabartak Moer intersection. He emphasised that this did not constitute long-term waterlogging, as joint drainage operations ensured the water receded within three to four hours. As of Thursday afternoon, the Minister confirmed that no standing water remained in the city.

Long-Term Infrastructure and Policy Impact

The ongoing 12,000 crore BDT investment represents one of the most significant urban drainage interventions in the history of the port city. The government’s strategy relies on the completion of the remaining six canals to fully integrate the metropolitan drainage network and prevent future congestion during the monsoon season.

The State Minister concluded his statement by reiterating that the narrative of a submerged city was a misrepresentation of a manageable urban event. He assured the National Assembly that the government remains vigilant in monitoring the progress of the Bangladesh Army’s engineering works to ensure that the city’s hydraulic capacity can withstand future heavy rainfall without disrupting the lives of the nearly five million residents of the Chattogram metropolitan area.