Politics
Dhaka North City Corporation Ward Works Program Reallocates 2026 Funds to Drainage Projects
Households in flood-prone wards gain new drainage upgrades while commercial zones outside priority areas receive no immediate road or lighting improvements under the updated allocation.
How we reported this
The Dhaka North City Corporation council approved a revised Ward-Based Priority Works Program on 6 July that redirects a portion of the annual infrastructure budget toward drainage upgrades in 12 specific wards. The change affects residents in areas such as Mirpur and Uttara who have reported repeated waterlogging during monsoon periods, while commercial zones in other wards see no new allocations for road repairs or street lighting this cycle.
Why the reallocation was made now
City corporation budget papers for the 2026-27 fiscal year list drainage as the top priority after heavy rainfall in June damaged several local markets and residential lanes. The program draws from the same 320 crore taka infrastructure envelope used in prior years, but shifts 45 crore taka away from general road resurfacing to targeted drainage contracts. Policy analysts note the move follows resident complaints logged through ward offices between March and May.
Residents in the selected wards stand to receive new covered drains along main access roads within six months, which the corporation states will reduce standing water near schools and bus stops. In contrast, shop owners and small traders in non-priority wards such as Banani and Gulshan will continue to rely on existing drainage that has not been upgraded since 2023. Local advocates note that households without private vehicles will feel the difference most directly when walking to markets or transport hubs during the rainy season.
The budget papers record that 68 wards submitted project requests, yet only 12 received full funding under the new criteria that favor documented flood incidents over the past two years. One ward in the program, for example, will see work begin on a 1.2 kilometre drainage line near the Mirpur 10 intersection, a route used daily by commuters heading to the central business district.
Implementation is scheduled to begin with tender notices issued by 15 July, with the corporation projecting completion of the first drainage sections by December. Residents in funded wards can register service complaints through their local ward councillor office once contracts are awarded, while those outside the program must wait for the next annual review in 2027.