Barishal drowns after downpour

Almost all areas across Barishal city experienced severe waterlogging yesterday after heavy downpour since Friday.
It rained at least 153mm between 9:00pm on Friday and 9:00am yesterday, according to Bangladesh Meteorological Department in Barishal.
The inclement weather and waterlogging affected the lives and livelihoods of residents, especially the daily wage earners. Many labourers were seen waiting for long hours looking to be hired for work, in vain.
Visiting different areas of the city, this correspondent found most of the important thoroughfares, including Battala Road, Amanatganj Road, College Road, College Avenue, and Baptist Mission Road, among others, submerged under ankle to knee deep water, making movement of pedestrians and vehicles difficult.
Sparse presence of vehicles was seen on the roads. Water entered many roadside shops and ground floors of numerous houses, especially those located in the low-lying areas.
City dwellers alleged that crores of taka have been spent for excavation of seven canals and renovation of the city’s drainage network, but the projects hardly brought any benefit as waterlogging still remains a menace.
“The city corporation does not clean the drains regularly, leaving those clogged with debris inside, which further exacerbated the situation,” said Enayet Hossain Chowdhury, a resident of the city.
Water Development Board sources said they could not excavate the canals as planned due to numerous reasons. As such, around half of the allocated for the project has been returned.
Contacted, Khalid bin Walid, BWDB executive engineer in Barishal, said numerous structures, including multi-storied buildings, have been constructed encroaching upon the canals.
“To excavate the canals properly, these illegal structures need to be evicted first. Also, many structures have been constructed by filling up reservoirs in low-lying areas, due to which rainwater cannot be drained away properly, leading to waterlogging,” he added.