Kalabagicha canal flows along the side of Achhadganj area of Chittagong city. It goes to Shuntkipatti area and joins the Chaktai Canal. There is a dilapidated bridge to cross this canal. However, there is no safety fence along the entire canal. A young man named Azizul Hakeem fell and died due to flooding after Cyclone Rimal on May 27.
Recently visiting the area, it was seen that the locals have made a temporary fence with ropes. There is also a risk of accidents. Local people say that this canal becomes dangerous during rains. Anyone who slips will be swept away by the current. Small children of the area play on the banks of the canal. Accidents can happen anytime due to lack of fencing.
Local ward councilor Pulak Khastgir said that a project proposal of five crore rupees has been given to the mayor for the construction of fencing along the canal. The matter was discussed in the general meeting.
This is not the first incident of death by falling into the canal. Three people including Azizul Hakim have died in three canals of the city in the last one month. Among them, an unidentified child went missing in the afternoon of June 11 in the Sluisgate-adjacent area of Chaktai Canal. About 14 hours later, his body was found in the nearby Rajakhali canal. Going there, it was seen that Chittagong City Corporation has installed a temporary bamboo fence.
Earlier on June 9, a seven-year-old child named Saidul Islam fell into the Nasir canal in Agrabad area and died. 34 Engineer Construction Brigade, the implementing organization of the waterlogging project, has now banned entry into the area.
Urban planners and experts have been saying repeatedly about fencing the open canals in the city. However, Chittagong City Corporation and Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) did not budge. Every time in the general meeting of the city corporation, there is a discussion about the fencing of canals. But it is only limited to discussion. Only temporary enclosures are provided after the event of death.
The fence has not been done in three years
In June 2021, an autorickshaw driver and a passenger died after falling into the Chashma canal in the city’s gate number two area. Although almost three years have passed since this incident, the fence has not yet been provided on the side of the mayor’s lane of this canal. As a result, residents move at risk. The road beside the canal was submerged in water during the rain. Then the road is not visible.
On August 25 of the same year, vegetable seller Saleh Ahmed slipped and drowned in the Chashma Canal in Muradpur of the city. His body has not been found yet. In the last three years, 10 people, including a university student, lost their lives in the canal in Chittagong city. Among them, five deaths were reported in 2021, two in 2023 and three in 2024.
Apart from this, on the evening of March 9 last year, a young man named Imrul Kayes Chowdhury fell into the drain after stumbling on the rod at the mouth of the open part of the drain on one side of the Lalkhan Bazar road. Two of his ribs were broken.
According to the calculation of Chittagong City Corporation, there are 1 thousand 137 kilometers of canals in 41 wards of the city. Out of this, there is about 19 km of canal bank without security fence. There are open drains at 5 thousand 527 places. Even 10 percent of these drains have not been secured. However, the corporation officials claim that they have installed slabs in most places.
Chief Engineer (Acting) of Chittagong City Corporation Mohammad Shaheen-ul Islam Chowdhury told Prothom Alo that the dangerous areas have been identified and given instructions. All the canals including the Chashma canal will be walled in the vulnerable parts. Apart from this, the slabs will be installed at the places where they are raised.
However, recently the city’s Chandgaon Thana, Bahaddarhat, Shulakbahar, Muradpur, Chawkbazar, Mehdibagh, Chateshwari Mor, Gate No. 2, Rahman Nagar, Mayor Goli, Alfalah Goli, Agrabad, Rangipara, Chaktai, Achadganj areas have been seen, in most parts of the drains in these areas. The slab has not been placed yet. There is no security in the canal. Residents of the area are moving with the fear of an accident happening again at any moment.