C T Online Desk: Visible initiatives in urban development, a focus on public health and efforts to address civic problems have generated hope in Chattogram. However, the mayor must prove the sustainability of these changes by overcoming persistent challenges such as waterlogging, waste management and the implementation of promises.
Chattogram is one of the principal driving forces of Bangladesh’s economy. Home to the country’s main seaport, the city is a major centre for import-export trade, industries and tourism. Yet, despite its economic importance, Chattogram has long struggled with inadequate civic amenities, unplanned urbanisation, poor sanitation and persistent waterlogging. Unplanned development, inadequate waste management, deteriorating canals and drains, and a lack of coordination among government agencies have made daily life increasingly difficult for residents.
Consequently, the success of a mayor in Chattogram cannot be measured merely by the construction of roads or beautification projects. The principal measure of success is how effectively the mayor can reduce the everyday suffering of city dwellers.
Against this backdrop, evaluating the performance of Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain requires an assessment not only of his initiatives, priorities and future plans, but also of their tangible outcomes. Since assuming office on November 3, 2024, he has placed emphasis on several aspects of urban management, including cleanliness, public health, environmentally friendly transportation and civic services. These initiatives hold promise. However, turning that promise into lasting improvements will be the real test of his leadership.
Bicycle Track: A New Approach to Urban Development
The launch of Bangladesh’s first dedicated bicycle track along Chattogram’s Airport Road marks a notable development in urban planning. Officially inaugurated on Friday, October 9, the track stretches approximately 2.2 kilometres. As part of the Airport Road development project, the infrastructure includes a separate lane for cyclists, footpaths, road dividers and landscaping. The project aims to improve travel safety while encouraging environmentally friendly transportation.
The significance of a bicycle track cannot be fully understood if it is viewed merely as a beautification project. At a time when cities are grappling with traffic congestion, air pollution, dependence on fuel and increasingly sedentary lifestyles, cycling can be an effective alternative for short-distance travel. Students, young people, working professionals and fitness enthusiasts all need safe facilities for cycling. From this perspective, the initiative offers an opportunity to rethink urban transportation in Chattogram.
However, constructing a bicycle track alone will not create an environmentally sustainable transport system. Its success will depend on how regularly it is used, whether it remains protected from motor vehicles and illegal parking, whether pedestrian safety is maintained and whether the facility receives regular maintenance. Connecting the track to other major roads and destinations in the future could make it more useful.
For Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain, therefore, the challenge extends beyond inaugurating a single track. Ensuring that it remains operational, safe and user-friendly, while incorporating cycling infrastructure into future urban planning, will determine the initiative’s real value. The visibility of the inauguration will eventually fade, but the project will become a genuine success only if the track becomes part of people’s everyday journeys.
Waterlogging: The Toughest Test
Waterlogging remains the most pressing issue in discussions about civic suffering in Chattogram. Roads submerged after a few hours of heavy rainfall, disrupted traffic, flooded homes and hardship for working people are all too familiar to residents. Despite years of projects and promises, the problem has yet to be fully resolved. Progress in tackling waterlogging therefore deserves particular attention when evaluating the mayor’s performance.
Before the monsoon, Dr Shahadat Hossain undertook special cleaning campaigns in waterlogging-prone areas, including efforts to clear canals and drains. He also visited different locations to inspect ongoing work and monitor canal excavation. The positive aspect of these measures is that they seek to bring a persistent civic problem under direct field-level supervision rather than leaving it confined to administrative files.
Nevertheless, waterlogging is a problem that no single institution can solve independently. Coordination is essential among Chattogram City Corporation, the Chattogram Development Authority, the Bangladesh Water Development Board, the Local Government Engineering Department and other relevant agencies. When canals are excavated in one place, drains are constructed elsewhere, and water discharge remains obstructed at another point, the benefits of individual projects cannot reach the entire city.
The mayor’s role is therefore crucial. His responsibility is not limited to supervising the city corporation’s own work. He must also strengthen coordination among relevant agencies, identify the underlying causes of waterlogging and keep residents informed about progress. Regularly publishing information on the length of canals cleared, the number of drains renovated, improvements in drainage capacity and unresolved problems would enable residents to assess progress independently.
The mayor’s willingness to express regret or apologise to residents during periods of waterlogging can be viewed positively. Demonstrating empathy for public suffering is an important responsibility of an elected representative, even when the problem involves projects managed by other agencies. However, more important than an apology is evidence of what has been done to prevent the same suffering from recurring.
Any claim that waterlogging has declined must also be supported by a transparent measurement system. Comparisons should consider the number of affected locations, the duration of water accumulation, the number of roads rendered impassable and the intensity of rainfall. Without comparable data and due consideration of differences in weather conditions, claims of success are difficult to verify. Reliable evidence would strengthen public confidence in the mayor’s work.
Housing for Sanitation Workers: A Question of Dignity
Discussions about clean cities often overlook the living conditions of the people who keep them clean. Sanitation workers clear roads, drains and sewers and remove waste every day. Their work is directly connected to public health and the urban environment. They keep the city functioning through their daily labour, yet neglecting their housing, safety and living standards undermines the very idea of inclusive urban development.
A project to construct 1,036 flats in seven buildings for Chattogram City Corporation’s sanitation workers represents an important initiative in this regard. Each flat is approximately 600 square feet. Under the revised plan, the project cost has been set at Tk 309 crore 35 lakh 20 thousand, while the completion deadline has been extended to December 2027.
The significance of the initiative goes beyond constructing residential buildings. It offers an opportunity to provide secure housing for people whose labour is essential to maintaining the city’s cleanliness. Improving the living standards of these workers is an important element of social justice and humane urban governance.
However, the project’s success will depend on timely completion and the delivery of flats to the intended beneficiaries. The reasons for the cost increase, construction progress, the selection process for beneficiaries and the schedule for handing over the flats should be disclosed regularly. Repeated extensions or a lack of transparency in beneficiary selection could undermine the purpose of such a substantial investment.
For the mayor, this project is an opportunity to recognise sanitation workers not merely as employees responsible for cleaning the city, but as indispensable members of urban society. If implemented successfully, it could also serve as a model for other city authorities.
Waste Management Requires a Long-Term Strategy
Daily cleaning drives are essential for making Chattogram a cleaner city, but they are not enough. As the population grows and the volume of waste increases, the systems for waste collection, transportation, processing and final disposal must also be modernised. Otherwise, even if roads are cleaned, canals, drains and designated waste-disposal sites may continue to suffer from pollution.
Dr Shahadat Hossain has spoken about plans to turn waste into resources. These include recycling, biogas production, green diesel and electricity generation. If implemented effectively, such initiatives could help transform waste from something that merely needs to be removed into a potential resource.
However, these projects require careful assessment of technological capacity, waste composition, economic feasibility, environmental impact and long-term operating costs.
Public feedback must also be taken into account when designing household waste collection services. When residents object to an initiative, responsible urban management requires examining the reasons and developing workable alternatives. If waste collection is provided free of charge, the city corporation must ensure that the service remains regular, reliable and equally accessible across neighbourhoods.
A clear civic framework is essential for effective waste management. Residents should know when waste will be collected in their areas, where dumping is prohibited, how waste should be separated and what penalties may apply for violations. Waste generated by businesses, markets, residential areas and construction sites also requires specific attention.
Residents must be encouraged to maintain cleanliness, but the entire responsibility cannot be placed on them. The city corporation must first ensure adequate bins, regular collection, effective transportation and sufficient disposal capacity. When public services are reliable, it becomes easier to expect responsible behaviour from citizens.
A Doctor-Major’s Role in Preventing Dengue
Dengue remains a major public health concern in Chattogram. Controlling the disease requires an integrated approach involving the elimination of mosquito breeding sites, sanitation, public awareness and treatment for infected patients. As a physician by profession, Dr Shahadat Hossain is expected to give particular attention to public health. The city corporation’s recent dengue-related initiatives appear consistent with that expectation.
On September 14, a 15-bed dengue management unit was launched at Chattogram City Corporation General Hospital. The initiative was intended to improve treatment for dengue patients, while the mayor also announced efforts to strengthen mosquito control and preventive measures. A September report by Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the national news agency, also highlighted the special arrangements for dengue treatment.
The city corporation has additionally undertaken mosquito-control campaigns, larval destruction, cleaning drives and public-awareness activities across different wards. According to information published by the city corporation, special attention is being given to areas considered vulnerable to dengue. The mayor has also emphasised that spraying insecticides alone cannot control the disease; residents must remove stagnant water from their homes and surroundings.
This approach has a sound public health basis. Relying solely on the killing of adult mosquitoes, without eliminating breeding sites, limits the effectiveness of dengue prevention. Residents therefore need to be encouraged to regularly remove stagnant water from rooftops, balconies, flowerpots, water containers, construction sites and discarded materials.
However, public awareness must be accompanied by measurable accountability for the city corporation’s own activities. Publishing data on the number of breeding sites identified and eliminated, the areas covered by regular campaigns and changes in dengue cases would allow residents to assess progress. The effectiveness of mosquito-control products, their proper application and environmental safety must also be ensured.
Opening a dedicated treatment unit is not enough on its own. The facility must have adequate doctors, nurses, diagnostic services, medicines, patient monitoring and arrangements for promptly referring critically ill patients. The city corporation must also be prepared to expand beds and treatment capacity if patient numbers increase. Prioritising public health means building sustained capacity in both prevention and treatment.
Public Awareness and a Culture of Accountability
Citizen participation is as important as administrative action in solving urban problems. Dumping waste into canals and drains, leaving rubbish in public spaces and allowing water to accumulate around homes can increase the risks of waterlogging and dengue. The mayor’s emphasis on civic responsibility is therefore important.
However, calls for public awareness are effective only when residents can also rely on the services they are entitled to receive. Irregular waste collection, blocked drains and inconsistent mosquito-control activities can create frustration. The responsibilities of citizens and the obligations of the city corporation must therefore be considered together.
An effective complaint-handling system is essential. Residents should be able to report irregular sanitation services, blocked drains and gaps in mosquito-control operations. They should also be able to find out how quickly action was taken. Merely accepting complaints is insufficient; their resolution and the accountability of the officials concerned must also be ensured.
Residents expect the mayor to be visible not only at ceremonies and project inspections, but also through effective decisions that address their everyday problems. Regular public engagement, the disclosure of information and updates on complaint resolution can play an important role in building public trust.
Integrated Urban Governance: The Mayor Cannot Act Alone
One point must be made clear in any discussion of Chattogram’s development: responsibility for, and the power to resolve, every urban problem do not rest exclusively with the city corporation. Waterlogging, road construction, canal restoration, public transport, port-related traffic congestion and planned urban development involve several government and autonomous agencies. Even a mayor with strong intentions may struggle to achieve the desired results without effective coordination.
This reality does not diminish the mayor’s responsibility; rather, it increases the importance of his leadership. Regular coordination meetings, joint action plans, specific deadlines and systematic reviews of progress are needed. Greater transparency about which agency is responsible for each task, where implementation has stalled and what cooperation is required could accelerate project delivery.
Transforming Chattogram into a modern and liveable city requires long-term urban planning alongside individual development projects. Road construction must be linked to footpaths and pedestrian safety; bicycle tracks must connect with the wider transport network; canal excavation must form part of a comprehensive drainage system; and waste collection must be integrated with final disposal. Integrated planning, rather than isolated initiatives, is the key to sustainable urban development.
The positive aspects of Dr Shahadat Hossain’s initiatives deserve recognition, but their limitations must also be discussed clearly. Waterlogging remains a major problem for residents. Building long-term capacity for cleanliness and waste management is still a work in progress. Large projects, such as housing for sanitation workers, require timely completion and transparency in spending. The bicycle track also needs regular maintenance and protection from encroachment.
Highlighting these limitations does not diminish the mayor’s initiatives. It is part of responsible assessment. Praise for an elected representative becomes meaningful when it is linked to tangible results. Criticism, likewise, should be evidence-based and focused on solutions.
Several priorities deserve particular attention if the mayor is to meet residents’ expectations. First, he should publish measurable data on progress in reducing waterlogging. Second, he must ensure regular and reliable waste management services. Third, dengue prevention should be risk-based, supported by stronger treatment capacity. Fourth, the housing project for sanitation workers should meet its revised deadline. Fifth, the city corporation should ensure effective complaint handling and accountability among relevant officials.
Consistent implementation of these measures would make the results of the mayor’s initiatives clearer. Residents would also be able to understand which promises have been fulfilled, which projects remain ongoing and where further work is required.
The people of Chattogram want a city where roads do not become impassable after modest rainfall, waste does not pollute the environment, dengue does not leave residents feeling helpless, and people can walk or cycle safely. These are not extravagant demands. They are basic expectations for a city that provides essential civic amenities and is governed transparently and responsibly.
The launch of a bicycle track, the establishment of a dedicated dengue treatment unit and the construction of housing for sanitation workers are among the initiatives that can be viewed positively during Dr Shahadat Hossain’s tenure as mayor. His efforts to address waterlogging and improve waste management could also become more effective through consistent implementation. These initiatives have the potential to improve residents’ quality of life.
Nevertheless, the overall success of a mayoral tenure cannot be determined by the inauguration of a single project or the launch of a handful of programmes. It must be measured by how much residents’ suffering has been reduced, how much civic services have improved and whether promised projects have been implemented on time and transparently.
The mayor’s greatest asset could be the trust of the city’s residents. The path to earning that trust lies in listening to people, acknowledging mistakes, taking action to solve problems and publishing the results. The willingness to accept criticism alongside praise is equally important.
Chattogram is a city of immense commercial and economic significance to Bangladesh. Making it cleaner, greener, safer and more liveable is a shared responsibility of the mayor, the relevant institutions and the citizens themselves. If Dr Shahadat Hossain can advance his positive initiatives through long-term planning, effective coordination and accountability, there will be an opportunity to bring lasting change to the city’s governance.
Ultimately, the verdict on his performance will not be determined by speeches or promises, but by the tangible improvements residents experience in their daily lives.
Key Achievements and Positive Initiatives
- First Dedicated Bicycle Track: Launched a 2.2-kilometre bicycle track on Airport Road to promote safer, greener urban mobility.
- Dengue Treatment: Introduced a 15-bed dengue management unit at Chattogram City Corporation General Hospital.
- Sanitation Workers’ Housing: Advanced a project to construct 1,036 flats for sanitation workers, recognising their contribution to urban cleanliness.
- Public Health Focus: Emphasised mosquito-breeding site elimination, sanitation campaigns and public awareness.
- Field-Level Supervision: Inspected cleaning operations and canal excavation to address waterlogging.
- Waste-to-Energy Vision: Promoted plans to explore recycling, biogas, green diesel and electricity generation from waste.
- Civic Engagement: Acknowledged residents’ suffering during waterlogging and stressed the importance of public participation in urban management.
Major Failures and Unresolved Challenges
- Persistent Waterlogging: Recurrent flooding during heavy rainfall remains a major test of the city corporation’s effectiveness.
- Inadequate Waste Management: The city still needs a more reliable, integrated system for waste collection, processing and final disposal.
- Project Delays and Cost Escalation: The sanitation workers’ housing project has faced a revised budget and an extended completion deadline.
- Unproven Bicycle Track Impact: The long-term success of the new track will depend on regular use, maintenance, safety and protection from encroachment.
- Dengue Prevention Gaps: The effectiveness of mosquito-control campaigns needs to be demonstrated through measurable results.
- Weak Inter-Agency Coordination: Waterlogging and urban development require stronger coordination among multiple government agencies.
- Accountability Deficit: Regular publication of performance data, transparent project updates and effective complaint resolution remain essential.
- Implementation Gap: Several initiatives have potential, but their lasting impact on residents’ daily lives remains the ultimate test.
Author:
Zamir Uddin
Reporter, Amar Desh, Chattogram, Bangladesh.
Email: ujamir33@gmail.com
Phone: 01742612746
