Moshiur Rahman Selim,  Cumilla South 

The canals, ponds, and rivers in and around Laksam upazila and its municipal areas in southern Cumilla have become severely threatened due to illegal encroachments and pollution. 

With the monsoon approaching, early signs of waterlogging have emerged, and the water in ponds, canals, and the Dakatia River has started to stagnate, causing hardship for hundreds of thousands of local residents.

The illegal excavation and soil extraction using unlicensed tractors and dredgers have further intensified the crisis. In a recent meeting chaired by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Kawsar Hamid, the Canal and River Protection Committee decided to take legal action against encroachment and begin restoration efforts of rivers and canals in the region.

Currently, cleaning and restoration work is underway on the Dakatia River and several connecting canals. Local sources report that nearly fifty canals have been encroached upon or filled in, leaving no outlets for water drainage. As a result, during monsoon, many areas—including the municipality and lower-lying upazilas—face serious waterlogging, severely disrupting mobility and daily life. Many cannot even reach local markets during the rainy season. Several rural roads and regional highways remain riddled with potholes, worsening the situation.

Notably, influential locals have occupied government canals and built residential and commercial structures—especially along the Laksam–Mudafarganj, Mudafarganj–Chitoshi, and Chitoshi–Beronia roads. Shockingly, relevant departments such as the land office, municipal authorities, upazila and district councils, and the Water Development Board appear largely inactive.

Several key government canals like Chailtataly, Fatehpur, Ghagoir, Berula, Karzon, Hemendra, Mella, Kuchaitali, and Chilonya are now critically endangered. In one alarming case, the Berula canal on the Lalmai–Laksam–Noakhali regional highway was completely filled during road widening, despite the possibility of using state-owned land on the west side. This has halted water flow, while garbage, industrial waste, and stagnant water have severely compromised the region’s safe water supply and public health.

Bridge and culvert entrances are blocked, aggravating drainage issues. The authorities' previous inaction has made seasonal flooding an annual threat. Laksam town, home to nearly 100,000 people, is now under severe environmental and infrastructural pressure due to the growing population and unchecked development.

Environmental experts warn that without effective action against encroachers and illegal dredging, the situation will worsen dramatically. Overflowing water caused by waterlogging already floods homes, while makeshift fish enclosures (bairas) and sand lifting operations are exacerbating the crisis.

Municipal officials claim that despite launching large-scale development and drainage projects linked to the Dakatia River worth hundreds of crores in the current fiscal year, much of the work remains tied up in bureaucratic red tape.

Repeated attempts to contact concerned officials at the district and upazila levels for comments were unsuccessful.