Why Matuail drowns every monsoon despite decades of promises

Matuail does not need hours of rain to grind to a halt — 15 to 20 minutes is enough. Within moments, roads disappear under murky water, drains overflow, and children lift their uniforms above their knees to wade to school. CNGs pull over to save their engines, while shopkeepers wait behind empty counters for customers who never arrive.

For 3 lakh residents, this is no exceptional flood—it is the brutal rhythm of every monsoon.

The problem is rarely the rain, but a clogged drainage network that leaves stormwater with nowhere to go. Instead, sewage, household waste, and rain merge into stagnant pools, forcing over 20,000 students to walk through filth to reach classrooms. 

The crisis persists despite a Tk1,299 crore Dhaka-Narayanganj-Demra (DND) irrigation project revised in 2020. For many residents, however, the promised improvements remain difficult to see. The water returns every monsoon.

Three decades of waterlogging

For the past 30 to 35 years, Matuail has gone underwater whenever it rains. Long before proper roads were built, residents had come to accept seasonal flooding as an unavoidable part of life. Before 2016, many roads remained narrow and poorly developed, making seasonal flooding seem almost inevitable. 

After Matuail came under the Dhaka South City Corporation in 2017, wider roads were built and the neighbourhood began to change. The floodwater did not. In some neighbourhoods, residents say the flooding has become even more severe, with water remaining on the roads for days after heavy rainfall. Many roads become impassable, while vehicles that attempt to cross the floodwater often suffer engine damage.

In neighbourhoods such as Delpara, Shamimbagh, Nurbagh, Kanerpar, Bhuigor, Jalkuri, Adarshanagar and Rosulpur, residents say floodwater can remain for more than two months after prolonged rainfall.

Few remember that year more vividly than Siddique Alam, 62, a resident of Jalkuri. 

"The worst flooding in Matuail occurred in 2017. Before that, people in this area had never seen such waterlogging. Residents had to use boats for nearly one and a half months, and the floodwater remained for almost three to four months," he recalled.

Nearly a decade has passed since that devastating monsoon, but residents say little has changed except the size of the budgets allocated to solve the problem. 

Despite years of investment under the drainage development project, the drainage failure across the DND area continues.

For Rashel, another resident of the area, however, the problem is no longer technical; it is political.

"Whenever elections approach, they make countless promises to solve the problem. But once the election is over, they forget everything," he said.

Project outcome remains elusive

The flooding is hardly a new discovery for policymakers. Over the past three decades, successive governments have announced projects, revised budgets and promised lasting solutions. Yet for many residents, each monsoon still unfolds much the same way. 

The roots of today's crisis stretch back decades. The entire Matuail area falls within the 56.79-square-kilometre DND irrigation project, where decades of rapid urbanisation have fundamentally changed the landscape. 

The DND embankment was built between 1962 and 1968 to support irrigation and allow farmers to cultivate three crops a year. But according to the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), nearly 85% of the project area has since been transformed into residential neighbourhoods as rapid, largely unplanned urbanisation accelerated from the late 1988s.

A 31.162-kilometre canal running alongside the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway was excavated in 1988 and connected to Siddhirganj near Kanchpur to help drain excess water. Over time, however, illegal encroachment and indiscriminate waste dumping choked much of the canal, leaving areas such as Sarulia, Matuail and Kajla increasingly vulnerable to monsoon flooding.

Successive governments continued searching for a solution. A JICA-backed survey in the early 1990s resulted in a proposed Tk235.33 crore drainage project, but it never secured government approval. In September 2006, authorities launched a Tk11.97 crore emergency programme that included feasibility studies and limited canal excavation. Despite both efforts, the flooding returned with every monsoon.

A far more ambitious intervention began in December 2017, when the Bangladesh Water Development Board partnered with the Bangladesh Army to overhaul the DND drainage system. Initially estimated at Tk582 crore, the project's cost was later revised to nearly Tk1,299 crore in 2020.

Following the project's implementation in 2018, the Bangladesh Army installed two heavy-duty pumping stations at Adamjee and Shimrail, along with pumping plants at Fatullah, Pagla, and Shyampur. It also constructed or rehabilitated 22 bridges, 69 culverts, four cross-drainage structures, and 44 kilometers of walkways.

"Our project is awaiting approval. Once it is approved, work will begin in these areas. The parts of Matuail that are prone to waterlogging will be included in the project. In the meantime, regular drain cleaning is ongoing. Our waste management department is carrying out the work, and we hope it will significantly reduce waterlogging. Once completed, both the roads and the drainage system will be fully developed."

Zone Engineer, Dhaka South City Corporation

On paper, the investment appears significant. On the ground, however, many residents of Delpara, Kanerpar and Jalkuri say they have yet to experience the promised relief, leaving them questioning why years of spending have brought so little visible change.

Fresh efforts have recently been undertaken to tackle the long-standing problem. The re-excavation of the 31.162-kilometer canal, launched last year, is nearly 99% complete. while about 75% of the eviction drive against 380 illegal structures has also been completed.

The government has also announced new plans. On 3 June, Water Resources Adviser Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee said an additional 30 kilometres of drainage infrastructure would be built to strengthen the DND drainage network. Meanwhile, the Dhaka South City Corporation is preparing a drainage master plan for its 18 newly incorporated wards.

However, for long-time residents of Matuail, the phrase "new plan" carries little meaning.

Siddique Alam said, "For nearly 25 years, I've been hearing the same promises. Today it's one government; tomorrow it's another. But nothing actually changes."

When contacted, a Zone Engineer of the Dhaka South City Corporation, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed optimism about addressing the problem.

"Our project is awaiting approval. Once it is approved, work will begin in these areas. The parts of Matuail that are prone to waterlogging will be included in the project," he said.

"In the meantime, regular drain cleaning is ongoing. Our waste management department is carrying out the work, and we hope it will significantly reduce waterlogging. Once completed, both the roads and the drainage system will be fully developed," he added.

The direct impact on education

The impact is perhaps most visible around Matuail's schools. Institutions including Shamsul Hoque Khan School and College, Matuail Bahumukhi High School, Matuail Adarsha High School, Rafiqul Islam School and College, and Matuail Girls' High School together serve around 20,000 to 25,000 students — many of whom must wade through floodwater simply to reach their classrooms during the monsoon.

For many families, heavy rain no longer means just bad weather; it means deciding whether children can safely make it to school. Flooded roads force some parents to keep their children at home, while transport fares often rise as vehicles avoid submerged streets.

Fatema Akter faces that decision almost every time it rains. Her daughter studies at Matuail Girls' High School. "Our house is some distance from the school. Whenever it rains, the roads become so flooded that it's impossible to leave home. My daughter ends up missing school for many days during the monsoon," she said.

Md Nazrul Islam, who oversees the English version at Shamsul Hoque Khan School and College, said attendance falls sharply whenever roads go underwater.

"Students suffer greatly because of the waterlogging. Many are unable to attend classes regularly, and attendance drops by more than half during the monsoon season," he said.

School authorities attribute the worsening situation to rapid urbanisation, shrinking wetlands and the disappearance of natural drainage channels.

"Where are we supposed to go? How are we supposed to continue our education? Nobody can answer that. We are frustrated and deeply disappointed. The government should stand by us," a college student said.

For thousands of students in Matuail, every monsoon means missed classes, disrupted learning and another reminder that the area's drainage crisis remains unresolved.

Flooded roads bring transport to a standstill

The consequences of waterlogging stretch far beyond flooded streets. Every spell of heavy rain disrupts transport, keeps children out of school, damages livelihoods and exposes residents to growing health risks. For many families, the monsoon affects nearly every part of daily life.

For most commuters, getting off a bus means taking a CNG-run auto-rickshaw to reach different parts of Matuail. But when the roads are flooded, CNGs are often unable to operate. Driving through stagnant water allows water to enter the engine, causing costly damage.

Many drivers say the risk is simply not worth it. Naeem, who has been driving a CNG-run auto-rickshaw for more than 11 years, said operating during the monsoon often means costly engine repairs.

"We charge slightly higher fares during the rainy season because driving through floodwater often causes water to enter the engine. Repairing the damage costs us a lot of money," he told The Business Standard.

Local resident Nurul recalled a frightening experience during heavy rainfall.

"I was travelling in an auto-rickshaw after a heavy downpour when it became impossible to distinguish the road from the adjacent canal. There was no way to tell where the road ended and the canal began. I narrowly escaped what could have been a serious accident," he said.

People, livestock and businesses bear the brunt

Weeks of walking through stagnant, sewage-contaminated water also take a toll on residents' health. Many develop fungal infections on their feet—locally known as haza—along with skin diseases, fever and seasonal illnesses.

Anju Begum says the monsoon affects even the most ordinary routines. Both she and her husband have developed fungal infections after prolonged exposure to floodwater.

"Neither of us can even cook properly during this time. We also struggle to arrange food for our cattle and goats," she said.

The impact extends beyond people. Cattle, goats and other domestic animals often struggle to find dry shelter and uncontaminated fodder during prolonged flooding.

Rubel, another resident, said, "My cow could hardly eat properly for nearly three weeks this year. The floodwater ruined all the hay and straw, and finding a dry place became almost impossible. Eventually, I had to buy feed from outside."

Residents also say snakes frequently emerge from submerged drains and nearby water bodies after prolonged flooding, adding another layer of fear to daily life.

For small businesses, every prolonged spell of flooding translates directly into lost income.

Salam, who runs a small grocery shop in the area, said every monsoon leaves him counting losses instead of customers.

"When the roads remain flooded, customers simply stop coming. Even sitting inside the shop becomes difficult because of the foul smell. During this monsoon, my sales remained less than half of normal for around 10 to 15 days. I lose around Tk8,000 to Tk12,000 every month because of the flooding," he said.

For residents of Matuail, waterlogging is not simply an inconvenience caused by heavy rain. It shapes how they travel, work, study and care for their families—turning every monsoon into a season of uncertainty. 

When the monsoon ends, Matuail's roads gradually dry up. Vehicles return to the streets, school attendance improves, and customers begin to visit local shops again. To an outsider, it may appear that the problem has finally disappeared.

In reality, however, the crisis never truly goes away. The floodwater recedes, but the underlying problem remains unresolved. For more than three decades, every monsoon has brought back the same question: despite countless projects, billions of taka in public spending, and repeated promises, why are residents of Matuail still forced to endure the same suffering year after year?

But the rains return, the water rises, and eventually recedes. The only thing that remains unchanged is the suffering of Matuail's people.