"The recent floods have damaged the city as flood catchment and water retention points have been encroached. The prime minister is giving priority to recovering natural canals which were connected to each other and encroached parts of the main rivers like Buriganga, Sitalakkhya and Balu," an official with the Prime Minister's Office said.

As part of the initiative, a three-day "National Workshop on Options for Flood Risks and Damage Reduction in Bangladesh" will be held at the PMO. Relevant ministries including ministries of land, flood and disaster management, water resources, communications, shipping and environment will take part in the workshop to be held from September 7-9.

"These ministries should work together to protect the country, but unfortunately they lack coordination," an official said, adding the flood-prone capital needed an integrated action to reduce damage from floods, but authorities have overlooked the work shifting the blame onto each other.

"The flood and disaster management ministry blames the housing and public works ministry for destroying water retention points and catchment areas while the environment ministry blames city planners for ignoring its suggestions in planned growth of the city, " the official said.

Although the workshop will be held on nationwide flood risks and damage, protection for the city's low-lying eastern fringe should be emphasised as hundreds living in the area suffer during the floods.

Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB) will present a paper on the impact on urban transportation and mitigation options.

Urban experts said the reckless urban growth of Dhaka could hurtle towards an ecological disaster as most flood-flow zones and water-bodies have been filled up over the years.

Ashulia, Banoshree, Aftabnagar, Meradia, Baunia, Badda, Amin Bazar, Hatirjheel -- the water catchment areas marked for flood retention -- are fast filling up although the Wetland Conservation Act 2000 bars development of land in water bodies.

The Act states that no-one has the right to develop any wetland, flood-flow zone or rainfall catchment areas, which is clearly marked in the Dhaka Metropolitan Development Master Plan.

But many developers and individuals have illegally occupied and filled up these areas. Aerial photos show how land-filling is narrowing down water-bodies.

"Not only developers, but authorities as well violate laws in many cases as in planning to develop the city's last remaining water body at Hatirjheel which will be disastrous to the city," said Professor Nurul Hasan, chairman of Urban Planning Department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology.

The city had 26 water-reservoirs and hundreds of small and large ponds and marshlands that would preserve rain and flood water before canals sent it into other channels.

"If we could save water bodies, canals and ponds, they could absorb nearly a third of floodwater," said Salim Bhuiyan, executive engineer of the Flood Forecasting Centre of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB).

According to a survey in 1992 by the Flood Action Plan under BWDB, Dhaka covers 118.62 square kilometres having only 736 hectares of water-bodies, which is only six percent of the total area.

"Flood prone and densely populated city like Dhaka requires 25 percent wetland and water bodies for flood protection, smooth breathing and healthy sustainable habitat of various species of flora and fauna," Prof Hasan said.