Review on causes and consequences of wetland loss in Dhaka City

Introduction

Dhaka City has been experiencing numerous natural issues including flooding, water logging and
other related issues. In the past the City was viewed as the Venice of the East or the City of Channels
(Dani 1962). A couple of decades back there were various marshes, khals and channels inside and
around Dhaka that would deplete the City effectively (JICA 1991). Trenches of the City are utilized to
be the associating channels of the streams encompassed by the more noteworthy Dhaka. Be that as it
may, presently a-days, the circumstance is totally extraordinary. The City has spread throughout the
years every which way and such extension has caused shrinkage of the characteristic seepage and
wetlands.

In addition, a large portion of the channels have vanished and banks of the encompassing waterways
are infringed and additionally snatched continuously because of various reasons. The significant
causes are impromptu urbanization, infringement, absence of co-appointment between government
organizations, upkeep to the framework and execute of relevant laws. Subsequently every year the
city inhabitants endure intense water logging issues during the stormy season. In a report on Strategic
Environment Assessment of Dhaka, water logging has been recognized as one of the serious issues of
the City (World Bank 2007). During rainstorm downpours, numerous territories of Dhaka go
submerged, in light of the fact that waterways, being the essential waste arrangement of the city are
blocked, can't convey the colossal volume of tempest water. The circumstance has turned serious as of
late, and central avenues currently go under a meter of water after overwhelming storm shower (Islam
2005).

There is no single expert for the administration of wetlands in Dhaka City, along these lines making
an absence of coordination among the worry associations. Since water logging is one of the serious
issues of the City, there is a quick need to execute land use guidelines and exacting authorization
instruments, limitations to the land infringement on the bank of the Khals in the city and usage of
urban communities' urban and seepage end-all strategies (Khan 2001). Then again, there is no
particular guide or all around archived records of wetlands of the City. The land grabbers accept this
open door to infringe the wetlands. It is a critical need to recognize the wetlands, assess its pattern of
changes and their outcomes on the wetlands. The points of this examination subsequently were to
recognize the over a wide span of time spatial degree of wetlands, their changing examples during
1960-2008, and the physicoenvironmental results on the territory.
Literature(s) Review

In his study Khondoker Golam Tawhid (December, 2004) presented on the rainfall induced flooding
that is caused by high intensity storm rainfall runoff in the city area that is inundated for several days
mainly due to lack of proper drainage system and inefficient management. It ascertain the inherent
causes of such water logging and its effects on the city life from the perception of authorities of
different development organizations, experts and people living in different parts of Dhaka City.

In their report Md. Shahidul Islam and et. al., (2010) did an attempt to identify the urban wetlands,
emphasizing on the extent of their changes and subsequent impacts on physical environment of the
area. For ascertaining the land-use pattern of the City, this study uses topographical map (Toposheet
of 1960) and satellite images (Landsat TM, 1988 and ALOS VNIR, 2008). Statistical analysis has
been carried out it observes that the wetlands of Dhaka city are changing very quickly.

In their report Md. Shahidul Islam and et. al., (2012) revealed that immediate necessary steps should
take by concern authority to prevent from various disasters that might be occurred due to unwise and
unplanned wetland changes.

In their report Asif Ishtiaque and et. al., (2014) shown the present physical condition of the canals;
identifies the processes of canal encroachment; represents the consequences of canal encroachment.
13 canals of 50 were surveyed; local people were surveyed to identify the impact and processes of
encroachment. This study identifies five: unauthorized land filling, illegal construction over canal,
expansion of slum, solid waste dumping, and taking advantage of lack of awareness of local people as
well as government agencies. However, this study also discusses the grave consequences of canal
encroachment: increasing flood vulnerability, wane of ground water recharge area and ground water
level, collapse of natural drainage system, loss of local ecology and biodiversity.

Objectives

The specific objectives of the study can be set as follows:

• To identify the wetlands of Dhaka city and evaluate its present scenario with causes and
consequences;

Results

Lowlands

Examination of topographic guide of 1960 uncovered (Figure 1) that the majority of the eastern piece
of Dhaka city is shrouded by swamps as the bog land or peaty territories of the Balu River floodplain.
Western limit of the city is additionally secured by the muddy swamps. These swamps in the west of
Muhammadpur and northwest of Pallabi are created inside the floodplain Lowlands Analysis of
topographic guide of 1960 uncovered (Figure 1) that the greater part of the eastern piece of Dhaka city
is canvassed by marshes as the bog land or peaty territories of the Balu River floodplain. Western
limit of the city is likewise secured by the boggy swamps. These swamps in the west of
Muhammadpur and northwest of Pallabi are produced inside the floodplain of the Buriganga and the
Turag stream. Mucky place that is known for the Turag floodplain territory has reached out into the
developed regions towards the northwest piece of the city close Pallabi. The absolute marsh region is
estimated as 13527.58 hectares (Table 1). Satellite picture of 2008 (Figures 2 and 3) demonstrated that
swamps inclusion regions of eastern piece of the city diminished and get inconsistent. The marshes in
the western limit of the city are additionally diminished and get unpredictable. The complete marsh
zone is estimated 6414.57 hectares in 2008 (Table 1).

Table 1 Summary of analysis on the changes in wetland in the year 1960 and 2008
Categories of wetlands 1960 area (ha) 2008 area (ha) 1960-2008 % of
area changed changed
(ha) Area
Permanent water-bodies 2952.02 1990.71 -961.31 32.57
Lowlands(open water-bodies) 13527.58 6414.57 -7113.01 52.58
Total 16479.87 8405.28 -8074.59 49.00
Source: Analysis from the Figure 3 and 4 Note: (+) or (-) sign indicates direction of
change

Figure 1 Different types of wetlands in the year Figure 2 Different types of wetlands in the year
1960 2008
Permanent Water Body

Lakes, channels and khals, which are visible on the images, have been identified. The permanent
waterbodies on the topographic map of 1960 are more prominent than 2008. Analysis and observation
for permanent water-bodies on 1960 image show that the Gulshan Lake, Dhanmondi Lake and Ramna
Lake are highly visible (Figure 1). Some channels and/or khals are also identified in different parts of
the city. Channels are located in the northeastern, eastern, southwestern, southern and north-western
corner of the city. The total areas of permanent water-body are measured 2952.02 hectares (Table1).
Analysis of satellite image of 2008 (Figure 2 and 4) for permanent water body shows that the areas of
lakes (Gulshan and Dhanmondi) have shrunken and narrowed down. Some khals and channels are not
identifiable or missing in the southwestern (Muhammadpur) and southern (Motijheel) area of the city
and the total area permanent water-bodies is measured 1990.71 hectares in 2008.

Figure 3 Overlay of lowlands of the year 1960 Figure 4 Overlay of water-bodies of the year
and 2008, showing the differences 1960 and 2008, showing the differences

Conclusions and Recommendations

Infilling of regular channels and swamps for urban foundation have been diminishing the zone, and
compartmentalizing the water-bodies which causing water-loggings and flood risks in different pieces
of the city. Among the various kinds of water-bodies damp and peaty immersed low-lying zones,
normal maintenance bowl around the city, are the hardest hit by the spontaneous urbanization. In
1960, the all out zone of mucky and peaty immersed low-lying zones was 13527.58 hectares, which
was seen as 6414.57 hectares in the year 2008. In the course of the most recent 48 years (1960 to
2008) 53% of the wetlands have been diminished. On the off chance that the decrease rate (148
hectare/year) stayed set up, the complete wetland zone in the year 2020 would be 4638.57 hectares.
This implies the wetland region may have decreased further from '53% of 1960' in 2008 to '34% of
1960' in 2020. The vast majority of the wetland misfortunes in the eastern piece of the city are related
with a pressing requirement for cover by the less preferred urban populace, and development appears
as casual settlements. Over the long haul these casual developments are obliterating the wetland
biology, lessening the zone, and fragmenting the trustworthiness of the wetlands. Wetland misfortune
can be seen in a few different ways. The most clear kind of wetland misfortune is the change of a
jurisdictional wetland to a non-jurisdictional status. For a model, wetlands in the northwest corner of
the city have been gained for the advancement of government workplaces in the course of the most
recent two decades. These wetland misfortunes could be halted if these were ward wetland rather than
non-purview type. In Dhaka city wetlands ought to be named jurisdictional, and rationed by an
administrative board to save and reestablish the wetlands. The facts confirm that urbanization in
Dhaka city would not be halted, yet these ought to be founded on further explicit investigations and
comprehension of the hydrological arrangement of the region, not simply request driven spontaneous
extension. Furthermore, seepage in Dhaka city is carefully constrained via land help and henceforth
by gravitational waste. Uncommon consideration ought to be given to the turn of events and change of
the current water-bodies with the goal that normal hydrological condition can adapt to the fake basic
activities. Water the board must be the main worry for any improvement in Dhaka city due to its
regular settings, and practically all the time individuals experience the ill effects of water and
additionally for water in a developing super city.

References

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[2] Alam M and Rabbani MG. 2007. “Vulnerabilities and responses to climate change for
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[3] “Impact of 1998 flood on Dhaka city and performance of flood control works,” Integrated
Water Flow Model (IWFM), Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology (BUET),
Dhaka.
[4] Chowdhury JU, Kamal MM, Khan NI and Salam MA. 2001. “Impact of land use change upon
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[5] Hoque MA, Hoque MM and Ahmed KM. 2007. “Declining groundwater level and aquifer
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Sensing Techniques: A Study of Dhaka Mega City. Oriental Geographer, 45(2): 41-54.