Is coordinated waste management the missing piece in Ctg's flood puzzle?

Despite multiple large-scale projects aimed at mitigating waterlogging in Chattogram, authorities have paid little attention to the port city's waste management, turning it into a growing problem.

Canals and drains, temporarily cleared during the monsoon, quickly become clogged again due to unregulated waste disposal in the absence of an effective disposal system.

Experts argue that unless a coordinated waste management system is developed alongside canal excavation and renovation, sustainable relief will remain elusive.

Md Nurul Karim, chairman of the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA), acknowledged the problem, stating, "No matter how many canals you dig, half the benefit of the waterlogging project will not be available if waste management is not right. That is because even if the drains or canals are cleaned, they become full after a few months. People use the drain as a dustbin."

The responsibility for waste management falls on the Chattogram City Corporation (CCC).

Despite promises from successive mayors over the last two decades to develop a "green" or "clean" city, waste management has remained neglected.

Locals allege that the lack of action stems from political and economic interests linked to the waste trade, controlled by influential local figures.

Household and institutional waste is typically collected through local initiatives and dumped at designated sites. City corporation workers then transport this waste to dumping stations, but the process lacks proper supervision.

As a result, many residents remain outside the organised waste collection system, leading to indiscriminate dumping in canals and drains. Even moderate rainfall exacerbates waterlogging across the city.

Currently, CCC relies on about 50 dump trucks, a few excavators and approximately 3,500 cleaning personnel to manage waste in Chattogram—a commercial hub generating significant waste daily. 

Authorities admit that resources are inadequate. Over the past decade, only Tk65.25 crore has been allocated for waste management, which officials argue is insufficient.

Previous attempts to improve waste management, such as distributing dustbins to households and encouraging waste segregation at the source, have failed.

CCC data indicate that the city generates around 2,100 tonnes of waste daily, which is transported to two landfills. However, due to poor waste management, these dump sites continue to expand without proper treatment or reuse initiatives.

The City Corporation's Chief Conservancy Officer, Commander IUA Chowdhury, cited an equipment shortage and ineffective workforce as key challenges.

"We have an equipment crisis. And the manpower we have, they also don't work properly. We have taken the initiative to collect equipment. And some extra people have been provided under the executive officers to only clean the drains and canals," he told The Business Standard.

Additionally, plans are underway to set up separate institutions in all 41 city wards to improve household waste collection.

"A policy is being formulated to have separate institutions in place in 41 wards for collecting waste from houses. After that, through advertisements in newspapers, following verification by the board, efficient institutions will be employed," the official added.

Proposals for waste reuse stagnant

Over the years, multiple proposals for waste-to-energy projects — including the generation of electricity, gas and fertiliser — have been submitted to the city corporation, inspired by models in Japan, China, the UK and Korea.

However, discussions on integrated waste management have repeatedly stalled.

One such proposal, a waste-to-energy project at Char Bakalia on the Karnaphuli River, was abandoned last year following protests from environmental activists concerned about biodiversity loss and river pollution.

CCC Chief Executive Officer Sheikh Muhammad Tauhidul Islam told TBS that discussions are ongoing regarding several waste management proposals, with at least one currently under review by the Economic Relations Division.

Government push for progress

In the past decade, three organisations undertook four major projects to mitigate Chattogram's waterlogging, with a combined expenditure of Tk14,349 crore.

However, despite Tk8,312 crore already being spent, monsoon flooding remains a persistent issue.

Currently, interventions are focused on 36 of the city's 57 canals, with the government pushing for progress ahead of the upcoming monsoon.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has assigned four advisers to oversee the work, while Chattogram University has been tasked with conducting a socioeconomic assessment and providing recommendations.

The city's most flood-prone areas include Agrabad, Panchlaish, Chawkbazar, Bakalia, Bahaddarhat, Chandgaon, Muradpur, Patenga and the EPZ zone. These areas, covering 30-35% of the 155-square-kilometre city, experience waterlogging for 3 to 8 hours following heavy rain.

Six teams, each comprising 20 members under regional executive officers, have been deployed to clean and excavate canals and drains in these areas.

Under the CDA's Canal Re-excavation, Expansion, Renovation and Development for Waterlogging Mitigation in Chattogram City project, authorities aim to remove 3.64 lakh cubic metres of waste from 36 canals.

This work, which began in February, includes the construction of retaining walls, silt traps, new drains and drain renovation.

Of the 39 tidal regulators planned under various projects, only five are currently operational, with another 23 expected to become fully functional before the advent of the monsoon.

Without an effective waste management system, experts warn, such infrastructure improvements will remain temporary fixes rather than long-term solutions.