Large parts of Khulna remained under water on Saturday after the city recorded 184 millimetres of rainfall over the past 51 hours, with widespread flooding disrupting transport, businesses and daily life while raising fresh concerns over the effectiveness of a major drainage improvement project.
According to the Khulna Meteorological Office, continuous rainfall over the past two days left roads, neighbourhoods and low-lying areas submerged, with water reaching knee level in several parts of the city.
The flooding made travel difficult for commuters, students and transport workers, while many families found water entering their homes.
Among the worst-affected areas were Mujgunni, Royal Mor, Tutpara, Jinnah Nagar, Daulatpur, Atra, Giltala, Dilkhola, Banargati and Sheikhpara, where prolonged waterlogging forced many residents to wade through flooded streets.
The latest flooding has renewed criticism of the city’s drainage system despite years of investment aimed at reducing waterlogging.
Local residents and environmental campaigners argue that the problem continues to return every monsoon season because of weaknesses in drainage planning rather than a lack of construction work.
Mustafa, a businessman in Mujgunni, said even brief spells of rain are enough to leave the local intersection under knee-deep water.
He urged the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) to introduce a permanent solution instead of temporary measures.
Residents in other parts of the city expressed similar concerns. Hamim, who lives in Karigorpara in Pabla, said rainwater frequently enters the ground floor of his home because roads and drains were built at higher levels without ensuring proper drainage connections for nearby houses.
Anup Kumar, a resident of Pabla Sahapara, said the city’s natural drainage network has gradually weakened as canals have been narrowed or replaced by concrete drains.
He believes restoring natural waterways, carrying out regular drain maintenance and improving links between canals and rivers would be more effective than simply constructing additional drains.
Easy-bike driver Hafiz said he continues working despite flooded roads because he has no alternative. He questioned why residents continue to suffer after significant public spending on drainage and road infrastructure.
According to KCC, Khulna has around 1,165 kilometres of drainage channels.
Under the Khulna City Waterlogging Mitigation through Drainage System Improvement (Phase-1) project, valued at Tk823 crore, authorities have spent the past five and a half years excavating canals and constructing or renovating hundreds of drains to improve water flow across the city.
Project Director and KCC Executive Engineer Sheikh Mohammad Masud Karim said 169 covered drains with a combined length of about 147 kilometres have been completed as part of the scheme.
KCC Chief Conservancy Officer Md Anisur Rahman said routine drain cleaning has been temporarily suspended because heavy rainfall is washing removed sediment back into the drainage network.
He added that the city corporation currently lacks specialised machinery to clean newly constructed covered drains, meaning workers must manually lift heavy concrete covers during maintenance. Equipment for mechanised cleaning has already been included in the ongoing project and is expected to improve future operations once it is procured.
KCC Administrator Nazrul Islam Manju said the city’s drainage difficulties stem from several long-standing issues, including shortcomings in earlier planning, incomplete infrastructure works, an inoperative pump house on the Rupsha River and non-functioning sluice gates.
He also said rising road and drain levels have left many residential areas sitting below surrounding infrastructure, making them more vulnerable to flooding during prolonged rainfall.
Manju said the current administration, which assumed responsibility three months ago, is working to remove blockages, improve water flow and clean drainage channels.
He also appealed to residents not to dispose of household waste into drains, saying proper waste disposal is essential to keeping the city’s drainage system functioning effectively.
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