Environment: Dhaka and flood flow zones

Abstract

In this article, Dr. M. Azizur Rahman addresses the critical environmental crisis facing Dhaka due to rapid, unplanned urbanization and the encroachment of essential flood flow zones. The author argues that the natural drainage systems of the city its "khals" (canals) and low-lying floodplains are being systematically destroyed by land developers and illegal construction. This destruction significantly increases the risk of catastrophic urban flooding and permanent waterlogging, as rainwater has no natural path to recede. Rahman emphasizes that protecting these flood flow zones is not merely an aesthetic concern but a fundamental necessity for the city's survival. He critiques the lack of enforcement of existing environmental laws and calls for immediate government intervention to reclaim occupied wetlands. The article concludes that unless Dhaka’s natural topography is respected and the flood flow zones are legally protected and maintained, the capital faces an unsustainable future marked by worsening environmental degradation and public health risks.