Speakers at a discussion in Chattogram urged all relevant service agencies to stop blaming one another and work jointly to restore the city’s lost traditional ponds and water bodies. The event, organized by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association on July 27, 2026, was held at a restaurant in Lalkhan Bazar from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Urban planner engineer Delwar Hossain Mazumder chaired the meeting, while CUET dean Dr Mohammad Rashidul Hasan presented the keynote paper.

Participants said nearly 21,000 ponds and water bodies have already disappeared in Chattogram. They expressed concern that enforcement measures and fines alone have not been sufficient to protect them. Speakers proposed holding-tax rebates and special benefits in plot-design approvals for owners who preserve ponds on their land. They also emphasized a policy of collecting environmental surcharges from others and using the funds as incentives for pond conservation.

The meeting called for protection of the city’s green zones and water-reserve areas, and for bringing the Chattogram Development Authority, Chattogram WASA, Chattogram City Corporation and other agencies under accountability. CDA project director and executive engineer Ahmed Moinuddin presented overall progress on CDA’s part of the mega waterlogging reduction project.