A decade on, Uttara Lake development still stuck in limbo
Project gets new deadline
More than a decade after it was first approved with the promise of giving residents a cleaner, greener and more accessible lake environment, the Uttara Lake Development (1st revised) Project remains mired in delays, extensions and rising costs.
What was once envisioned as a model urban regeneration initiative, protecting the Uttara lake system from encroachment, improving water retention, preventing pollution and creating vibrant walkways and recreation spaces, has instead become a striking example of chronic stagnation in public infrastructure development.
Recently, the government extended the project deadline for the sixth time, pushing completion to June 2026.
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A decade of deadlines missed
The project, undertaken by the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, was originally approved in 2014. At the time, it carried a modest two-year timeline from July 2014 to June 2016 and a cost estimate of Tk37.32 crore.
But as years passed with repeated extensions and little visible improvement, the financial footprint expanded dramatically.
After revisions, the cost now stands at Tk90.73 crore, nearly two and a half times the original estimate.
Rajuk alone bears Tk78.85 crore of that amount.
"We need to protect the lake from pollution and encroachment, but all we see are deadlines being moved," said Aminul Haque, a long-time resident of Sector 4.
Why delay? Rajuk lists a long chain of reasons
Officials attributed the most recent delay to multiple complications in the field.
Unusually heavy rainfall during the current fiscal year has held back progress, while the land acquisition process has taken longer than expected.
The project area includes two mosques, forcing Rajuk to proceed cautiously.
Daytime restrictions on truck movement have meant that sludge removal could only be carried out at night.
Moreover, the project site is situated in a densely populated and congested neighbourhood, requiring slow and careful pallasiding work to avoid disturbing surrounding houses.
Rajuk officials also reported resistance while attempting to evict illegal structures in an adjacent slum, further slowing the pace of work.
The Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) approved the government's proposal for a one-year extension, but only under strict conditions.
IMED emphasised that all remaining activities must be completed within the newly approved timeframe and no further extensions would be allowed.
It observed that no audit objections were raised between the 2017–18 and 2022–23 financial years, but that audit work for 2023–24 is still pending.
Current progress: Some movement, much left to do
According to Rajuk's latest report, cumulative financial progress reached Tk56.84 crore, or 62.65 per cent, as of May 2025, while physical progress stood at 65%.
The Planning Commission acknowledged the challenges of working in such a densely populated area but agreed that the extension was necessary to complete the remaining 35% of work, including the removal of illegal structures around the lake.
The project has been allocated Tk16 crore in the Annual Development Programme for the 2025–26 financial year.
Residents wait—and hope
On paper, Uttara Lake should by now be lined with walkways, lush greenery, open spaces and cleaner water flowing through a restored ecosystem.
But for many residents, the lake remains a reminder of promises delayed and opportunities lost.
"It's not that nothing has changed," said Mumu Chowdhury, who lives near the lake area. "But the pace is too slow. We deserve better—this is our environment, our community."
With yet another deadline now set for mid-2026, residents are hoping this will finally be the last extension.
