Waterlogging: a never-ending issue for traders
Many areas of Chaktai-Khatunganj, the wholesale essential commodities market in Chattogram, were flooded with tidal water as Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) could not complete the dredging works of the canals and construction works of the sluice gates on time.
More than 500 traders and residents of these areas are suffering due to rising tidal water for five days now.
According to traders, huge losses are incurred as the area becomes badly waterlogged during the rainy season and high tides.
In the last five days, the tidal waters destroyed a huge consignment of essential commodities including onion, garlic, rice, lentil, sugar, and spices, said the businessmen.
A study finds that Khatunganj traders incurred losses over Tk 514 crore in the year 2020, just for the waterlogging issue which brought damages to stock and sales reduction.
Year-long research titled "Study on economic Impact of Waterlogging on Local Trade: The Case of Khatunganj, Chattogram" conducted by National Resilience Programme (NRP) was published in 2021.
The report found that the prolonged waterlogging issue has also brought other financial losses to business enterprises in terms of damages to infrastructure and properties, loss of capital assets, renovation costs, relocation cost of business, as well as some non-financial impacts like mental trauma, anxiety or psychological pressure, demotivation of doing business and reputational damage.
Sagir Ahmed, general secretary, Chaktai-Khatungonj Warehouses Samiti, said, "Several times we've approached the city mayor, the chairman of the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) and the commerce ministry, but no one pays any heed to our pleas for saving Khatungonj."
He added, "CDA couldn't complete the sluice-gate construction and re-excavate the canal yet, although CDA took upon a project five years ago. If this problem isn't solved quickly, traders will turn away from this 200-year-old market."
Traders said the wholesale hub houses about 4,000 businesses and more than 5,000 warehouses that have been suffering from waterlogging and flash floods since 2007.
They said, "Most businesses have built two to three feet high walls to keep out the water to save goods from tidal and rainwater. But during the full moon and new moon, nothing can prevent the water from entering the houses."
CDA is implementing two projects worth Tk 6,926 crore for re-excavation and canal expansion to alleviate waterlogging in the port city.
Under these two projects, around 60 percent of work has been completed, however, CDA couldn't complete the construction of 12 sluice gates at the mouth of five canals and the construction of regulators and pump houses at the mouth of 12 canals.
Contacted, Project Director and CDA Executive Engineer, Rajib Das, said, "Infrastructure work has been completed for all sluice gates. Pump houses will be installed end of this year."
"Chattogram city including Khatunganj commodity market will get rid of waterlogging after implementation of the projects," he added.
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