The Historical Roots of Water Inequality in Old Dhaka

Water is often thought of as a simple natural resource, something that flows from the ground or a river to a tap. But in the crowded, historic streets of Old Dhaka, Bangladesh, water tells a much more complicated story. It is not just a matter of pipes and pumps; it is a story about who holds power, how cities are built, and how history shapes the present. This research sits at the intersection of urban planning and social justice, exploring how the way a city manages its water reflects the relationships between its people and its government. The study focuses on the idea that water inequality is not an accident of bad weather or poor engineering, but a result of decisions made over centuries. It looks at how the shift from viewing water as a shared community right to treating it as a product to be bought and sold has left the poorest residents struggling while the wealthy remain secure. Understanding this history is crucial because it reveals that the current crisis in Old Dhaka cannot be fixed by simply laying more pipes; it requires understanding the deep roots of exclusion that run through the city's infrastructure.

The paper investigates the history of water supply in Old Dhaka, tracing its evolution from the Mughal era through British colonial rule, the Pakistani period, and into modern independent Bangladesh. The researchers, led by M Shan E Alam Misty, combined a deep dive into historical archives with on-the-ground fieldwork. They spent a year in 2023 walking the streets of Old Dhaka, talking to residents, observing how people collect water, and interviewing local leaders and officials. They spoke with thirty people from different walks of life, ranging from daily wage earners to government councilors, to understand the real-life impact of water policies. By looking at old maps, government reports, and personal stories, the team pieced together a timeline showing how the city transformed from a place where water was abundant and managed through local customs into a water-stressed megacity where access depends heavily on wealth and social status.

The story begins long before the British arrived. In the Mughal period, around the 1600s, Dhaka was a thriving capital where water was central to daily life. People relied on the Buriganga River, ponds, and wells, managed through a system of community norms and local leaders. Water was not a commodity; it was a shared necessity. However, the arrival of the British in the 18th and 19th centuries changed everything. The colonial administration introduced the first formal, centralized water systems, but they did so with a specific agenda: to serve the colonial officials, the wealthy elite, and the commercial hubs, rather than the general population. The researchers found that the British built large water towers and laid pipes in affluent neighborhoods like Wari and Purana Paltan, ensuring these areas had steady, clean water. In contrast, the older, densely populated parts of the city, where the majority of the poor lived, were largely ignored.

This pattern of unequal development created a lasting divide. The colonial government treated water as a tool for control and profit, prioritizing areas that generated revenue or housed the ruling class. They built narrow pipes in poor neighborhoods that could not handle the demand, leading to low pressure and frequent shortages. Meanwhile, the wealthy areas received wider pipes and better maintenance. Even when public health crises like cholera and typhoid struck, the response was often slow and biased, favoring the elite. The study highlights that this was not just a technical failure but a political choice. The infrastructure was designed to reinforce social hierarchies, ensuring that the rich had access to safe water while the poor were left to rely on contaminated sources or expensive informal vendors.

As time moved on, these colonial legacies were not dismantled but were instead inherited and amplified by subsequent governments. After independence, the new state continued to rely on large-scale, top-down engineering projects, often funded by international donors, which focused on expanding the network to new, planned suburbs rather than fixing the crumbling systems in the old city. The researchers found that the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority, the main agency responsible for water, has struggled to meet the needs of the city's growing population. In Old Dhaka, the situation is particularly dire. The pipes are old, the roads are too narrow for heavy machinery to repair them, and the system is plagued by leaks and corruption. The study notes that the authority has replaced free public standpipes with paid water vending machines, known as ATM booths, which require residents to pay for every liter they collect. This shift has turned water from a public right into a commodity, making it even harder for the poor to access.

The paper argues that the current water crisis in Old Dhaka is not simply a result of rapid urbanization or climate change, though those factors make things worse. Instead, the root cause lies in the historical decisions that shaped the city's infrastructure. The colonial era established a system where water access was determined by class and proximity to power, and this system has persisted for over a century. The researchers suggest that simply building more pipes or installing new technology will not solve the problem if the underlying social and political inequalities remain. They point out that the current approach, which relies on expensive, high-tech solutions, often fails to reach the people who need it most.

The study concludes that fixing the water crisis requires more than just engineering; it demands a change in how water is governed. The researchers propose that the government should look back at pre-colonial methods of managing water, which were more adaptive and community-focused. They suggest integrating these traditional practices with modern systems and empowering local communities to participate in decision-making. By acknowledging the historical roots of the problem and moving away from a system that treats water as a product, the city might be able to create a more fair and sustainable future. The paper does not claim to have a perfect solution, but it offers a clear path forward: understanding that water is not just a physical resource, but a reflection of the society that manages it.