Despite spending nearly Tk 10,000 crore on several drainage and infrastructure projects, Chattogram continues to suffer from severe waterlogging after even brief rainfall. Officially, project progress exceeds 90 percent, yet the port city remains inundated. Experts attribute the persistent problem to poor coordination among agencies, weak maintenance, and ineffective waste management. The issue has drawn attention in parliament, where the Prime Minister expressed regret and assured that efforts are underway to resolve it.

Three major agencies—the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), Water Development Board, and Chattogram City Corporation—are implementing projects worth Tk 14,257 crore, but delays and inefficiency have extended three-year projects to eight years. Experts say unplanned urbanization, hill cutting, and siltation of canals have worsened the crisis. Around 1.9 million tons of waste are generated annually, much of which ends up in canals, blocking water flow.

Officials acknowledge that the City Corporation lacks the manpower and technology to maintain the expanded drainage network. The local government ministry has also criticized the previous administration for assigning large projects to inexperienced agencies, creating further complications.