Floods and Dholai Khal: Dacca to Dhaka relived

Bangladesh experienced three devastating floods in 1954, 1955 and 1988. In 1955 due to the rolling water from the upstream areas, Dholai Khal too was badly affected and could not save the then Dacca.

The flood of 1955 inundated almost the entire city of Dacca with the exception of Wari Begumbazar and Ramna and few other elevated lands. Bangshal, Nazirabazar, Satrowza, Nazimuddin road, Hussaini Dalan, Zindabahar, Aloobazar, Armanitola, Babubazar, Narinda, Gendaria, Lalbagh, Hazribagh, Nawabganj and many other places went underwater.

Once upon a time, Dholai Khal used to be the life line of Dacca. A deceased senior citizen who lived that time informed me that Dacca was wrapped around by Dholai Khal in two and a half coils (araipanch).  Another historian further informed me that at that time one could not reach Sadarghat from Lalbagh, without crossing a bridge or aqueduct. Every cross-section had a bridge or aqueduct with Dholai Khal flowing underneath it. The corners were spotted with boats docked. In fact it was a familiar sight especially under bridges like Lohar Pool and Babu Bazar Pool.

Dacca was surrounded by Dholai Khal, which was a part of the then provincial town.

During pre-liberation period the planners of the longest serving ruler preferred to convert Dholai Khal into passageway by directing the water flow through concrete pipes laid below. The massive work was done on the stretch from Narinda end to Nayabzar. Dholai Khal is now a thing of the past.

Amsterdam, the capital of The Netherlands is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its ring of canals and monumental buildings. It has 100 kilometers of canals, 1,500 bridges, and also 90 islands. The canals were dug in the 17th century to facilitate the management of water in the deltaic region of Amsterdam being at the mouth of the river Rhine. Holland is a low lying area and Dutch expertise is highly appreciated for its water management. Those who visit Amsterdam, find the round the year limpid water of the canals very admirable.

The past heritage of the Netherlands scripted its own way of water management by judiciously laying a network of eco-friendly canals and bridges that make Amsterdam an example of splendid urban grace. The eco heritage of Dacca was also surrounded by a network of canals which is Dholai Khal. Dacca and later Dhaka had its own thoughts on the matter and worked accordingly.