Infant's death renews outcry over Chattogram's exposed and deadly drains, canals

“Open and unprotected” canals and drains in Chattogram have claimed at least 13 lives in the past nine years, with some victims’ bodies never found.

The most recent death of a child has once again raised the question: when will the city's waterlogging-prone canals become safe?

Both city residents and experts believe these deaths could have been prevented if the promised safety barriers, pledged four years ago, had been properly implemented.

There are renewed demands to install protective barriers around the hazardous canals and drains that have become a cause of repeated death and injury.

As recently as Friday night, a 7-month-old baby went missing after a rickshaw carrying her and her family toppled into an open roadside drain during rain in Chattogram’s Kapasgola.

The child, known by her first name Sheheriz, was found dead around 10:10am on Saturday in a canal near the Chaktai leather warehouse area, nearly 5 km from where she had fallen.

The tragic incident has reignited public concern across the port city.

During the monsoon season, the drains and canals, filled with garbage and sludge, routinely overflow, worsening waterlogging and turning into deadly traps for residents.

On Aug 25, 2021, vegetable vendor Saleh Ahmed slipped and drowned in the Chashma Canal in the city’s the Muradpur intersection during waterlogging. His body was never found.

Following the tragedy, the Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) and authorities overseeing the city’s waterlogging mitigation project reassured the public that barriers would be installed along the canals, and slabs would be placed over the open drains.

Four years have passed since then, during which eight more people have lost their lives in similar incidents, yet protective barriers have not been installed along all canals.

In some of the affected locations, the city authorities have erected walls to block exposed areas while bamboo fencing has been used in others.

Most of these temporary barriers, however, are now damaged and ineffective.

DEATHS OVER NINE YEARS

On Jul 2, 2017, former government official Shilbrata Barua, 62, drowned after falling into a large roadside drain beside the Royal Garden Community Centre on MM Ali Road.

His body was recovered the next day from the Chaktai Canal in Miyakhan Nagar, nearly 6 Km away.

On Jun 9, 2018, 7-year-old Md Al Amin died after falling into a drain in the Amin Jute Mill area.

On Jun 30, 2021, CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver Md Sultan, 35, and his passenger, Khadija Begum, 65, died after their vehicle plunged into the Chashma Canal near Mayor Goli.

Later that year, on Aug 25, vegetable vendor Saleh slipped into the same canal at Muradpur intersection.

On Sept 27 of that same year, university student Sheherin Mahmud Sadia lost her life after slipping into the Nasir Chhara Canal while walking along the footpath near Agrabad Mazar Gate in Chattogram.

On Dec 6, 2021, a child named Md Kamal Uddin drowned in the same canal.

His body was found three days later in Mirza Canal.

On Aug 7, 2023, college student Nipa Palit, 20, died after falling into a drain in the Badamtala area near Fatehpur Islamia Haat in Chattogram City Corporation's Ward No. 1 during rainfall.

Soon after, on Aug 27, 2023, in Rangipara of North Agrabad, 1.5-year-old Yasin Arafat went missing after falling into a drain.

His body was found 16 hours later, trapped beneath piles of garbage.

On May 27, 2024, amid heavy rainfall and tidal surge triggered by Cyclone Remal, Azizul Hakim, an English second-year student at Islamia College, drowned in the Kalabagicha Canal near Asadganj Dried Fish hub.

On Jun 9 of the same year, 7-year-old Saidul Islam died after slipping into the Nasir Canal in Agrabad.

Most recently, on Jun 11 last year, a child went missing near the sluice gate of the Chaktai Canal.

His body was recovered from the Rajakhali Canal 14 hours later.

BARRIERS WERE IN PLACE ALONG HIJRA CANAL

Sheheriz was travelling with her mother and grandmother to her aunt’s house in the city’s Kapasgola.

Due to waterlogging in the alley, they got off the CNG-run auto-rickshaw and boarded a battery-operated rickshaw, which fell into the canal, causing the 7-month-old child to go missing.

Both Sheheriz’s mother and grandmother also fell into the canal, but local residents were able to rescue them.

Although her mother tried to hold on to the baby, she lost her grip on the strong current and the child was swept away.

The body of the missing baby was recovered 14 hours later.

Mayor Shahadat Hossain visited the site on Friday night.

Following the recovery of the child’s body, he visited the Chaktai leather warehouse area on Saturday morning.

In response to questions from journalists, the mayor said: "The water from the Hijra Canal flows into the diversion canal and then into the Rajakhali Canal. The army cleared the entire canal three days ago.

“There was a strong current. Its depth was more than 12 feet."

He added, “The accident occurred [on Friday] in the Hijra Canal. When the army went to work there three to four days ago, we had set up a barricade since the retaining wall had not been completed yet.

“In place of the wall, we had put up a bamboo barricade on behalf of the City Corporation. The army broke the barricade to carry out their work, as it was needed for the task."

The Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) is overseeing the ongoing mega project aimed at addressing waterlogging by cleaning 36 canals in the city.

The 34th Construction Brigade of the army is handling the physical work for this project.

Lt Col Md Ferdous Ahmed, project director of the CDA’s waterlogging mitigation initiative, told bdnews24.com: “Heavy rainfall occurred [on Friday] evening, which is a natural event.

“What happened [on Friday] is unfortunate, but it could have occurred in any canal. Who do you blame for that?”

“Out of the 36 canals, we have completed work on 25,” he added. “Over 90 percent of work on five other canals is complete. The remaining canals will be finished by next year.

“Work on the Hijra Canal is delayed due to land acquisition issues, which is why it is taking longer to complete.”

Pointing out the issue of encroachment on both sides of the canal, Ferdous explained: “Structures have been built on the land of the canal. Therefore, to carry out work on the canal, we have had to partially fill the canal.

“When the entire width of an 18-20-foot-wide canal is reduced to a narrow section, water overflows onto nearby streets and alleys. The water cannot pass through such a narrow space,” he added.

If the rain does not persist, he hopes to complete the work by Apr 30, ahead of the monsoon season.

The previous director of the project, Lt Col Md Shah Ali, had told bdnews24.com: “There is no fencing included in the project. Roads and footpaths will be built along the canals.

“In densely populated areas, we’ll install railings along the canal banks to prevent people from falling in.

“Lighting will be added to the railings so they’re easily visible. But this will only be done once the construction of the canal’s retaining walls is complete. In less crowded areas, we won’t install them,” he added.

FRESH PROJECT NEEDED

Delwar Majumder, former president of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (Chattogram Centre), said despite a decade-long demand for protective fencing along canals, authorities have continued to ignore the issue.

Speaking to bdnews24.com, he said: “We have repeatedly urged that fencing be installed along the canals next to the roads.

“We have also proposed to the Chattogram City Corporation to create a separate project for this and secure funding from the government.”

“Chattogram serves the entire country. The state also has a responsibility to invest in this city. If the current mayor takes initiative, I believe it can be done,” he added.

Referring to the death of child Sheheriz, the engineer said: “A life has been lost before it even began.

“This has struck a nerve with people across the city. The mounting anger could erupt at any moment — immediate action is crucial.

“Now that work has been completed on several canals, water flows through them with great force. If barriers had been in place, that rickshaw might not have fallen into the canal [on Friday].

“Action must be taken swiftly. Let Sheheriz’s death be the last. Authorities must wake up.”

Responding to this, the mayor said: “As part of their work, the army’s 34th Brigade has constructed dams within several canals, which is causing water to overflow in different areas.

“Hopefully, this is only temporary and will bring positive results in the long run.

“But if they dismantle preventive measures while carrying out their work, they [the army] must restore them immediately or at least inform us.”

By Saturday afternoon, the Chattogram City Corporation had reinstalled bamboo fencing at the point of the canal in Kapasgola where Friday night’s incident occurred.