Dhaka, Mar 21 (V7N) -A severe water shortage has hit various areas of the capital, including Mirpur, Shewrapara and Pirerbagh, with residents in extreme distress, struggling without water even for basic needs like cooking and washing.
Despite repeated complaints to Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa), no resolution has been reached and officials remain uncertain about when the issue will be resolved.
According to reports, Dhaka Wasa has been repairing water pumps for the past few days due to a drop in the water table. It is extending an 800-foot-deep pipeline by 180 feet, making it 980 feet deep.
This ongoing excavation is causing a water shortage.
When asked how long the repairs would take, workers said the problem would likely persist until the end of Ramadan, with at least 12–13 more days of work remaining.
Meanwhile, due to the crisis, residents are forced to buy bottled water at high prices for daily needs like cooking, bathing and using the toilet.
Even though water supply through regular lines remains inadequate, Wasa trucks are reportedly selling water at inflated rates, leaving residents with no choice but to buy it.
Residents of Shewrapara and Pirerbagh expressed their frustration over the slow progress of repairs, accusing Wasa of deceiving them in the name of providing service.
A resident, Jihad Hossain, said: "We have not had water at home for eight days. Initially, Wasa trucks supplied water, but now it is difficult to get a turn.”
“The suffering is unbearable. They are supposed to provide a service, but instead, they are mocking us," he added.
Sultan Mahmud Ripon, a private university student living in a shared flat in Shewrapara, said he had been unable to carry out daily activities due to the lack of water, adding that he had temporarily moved to his aunt’s house in Shukrabad to manage his studies and a part-time job.
Another resident, Sarwar Hossain, who moved to Shewrapara for work a month ago, said: "For the past two weeks, there has been no water. I cannot shower properly before going to the office, the washroom has no water and there is none for cooking either.
“The situation is very embarrassing. I have heard that this problem will persist for quite some time."
One of the worst-hit areas is North Pirerbagh, where Wasa’s water supply has remained completely halted for a month, leaving residents in severe distress.
Roksana Rashid, a resident of Pirerbagh, said: "We do not even have water for ablution during Ramadan. We have to buy water every day. This problem started before Ramadan, and despite repeated complaints to Wasa, nothing has been resolved. Even their helpline has not provided any solutions."
What does Wasa have to say?
A Wasa official at the Pirerbagh-4 pump, speaking on condition of anonymity, admitted that the water production there was almost zero.
“This issue has persisted for a month. We are working on restoring the supply, but I cannot guarantee the problem will be solved during Ramadan."
Attempts to contact WASA Executive Engineer for Mirpur Region (MODS Zone 4), Mohammad Badrul Alam for comments were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, Dhaka Wasa Deputy Managing Director AKM Shahid Uddin said: "There is no water problem in Shewrapara now; the issue lasted until Friday.
“In Pirerbagh, we are rationing water to address the crisis. Due to high demand, this problem has arisen. A single tube well can supply water for 25,000 people, but if the population exceeds 100,000, shortages are inevitable."
He added that if Wasa had another tube well in Pirerbagh, it could meet the demand.
Wasa was looking for land to install one but had not found a suitable spot yet, Shahid Uddin told this correspondent. “If anyone provides us with land, Dhaka Wasa will immediately install a tube well there – this is my promise."
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