“Once a pleasant rainy day, nowadays becomes a nightmare as I can’t manage any transport to go to [the] office. … I have to choose either work from home or wade through knee- or waist-deep, filthy water-filled, dangerous roads with potholes and open manholes. … I often choose the first option.” — A female commuter in Dhaka.
These words capture the lived reality of millions across South Asia’s rapidly growing cities.
The problem is not the heavy rain in itself; it is issues with environmental management common across the region: Mismanaged waste, unprecedented plastic production and disposal, weak policies, fragile urban infrastructure, and lack of cross-border collaboration.
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About the author
Rizwana Akhter
Rizwana Akhter is a development professional and environmental enthusiast with over 14 years of experience across NGOs, INGOs, and consulting. She specializes in gender-responsive programming, humanitarian action, and circular economy solutions. She currently serves as gender and development specialist at Practical Action, advancing inclusive and gender-responsive development.