Why Has Dhaka’s Hatirjheel Lake Suddenly Turned Pink?

Image: Collected

Large stretches of Hatirjheel, one of Dhaka’s most popular waterfront retreats, have mysteriously turned a striking shade of pink, alarming residents and exposing the worsening state of pollution in the capital’s prized urban lake.

​The sudden discolouration, captured in aerial drone footage and ground photographs on Tuesday, is most pronounced along the FDC and Moghbazar sections of the lake. Far from a harmless natural spectacle, the murky pink water is accompanied by floating clusters of plastic waste and a pungent, foul odour that has stripped the recreational hub of its familiar charm.

​Environmental observers and locals point to unchecked waste discharge and heavy pollution as the primary culprits behind the sudden shift in colour, warning that the contamination is severely disrupting the lake’s fragile ecological balance.

​Despite the toxic appearance of the water, Hatirjheel’s regular water taxi services have continued to operate across the affected routes. For daily commuters, however, the scenic shortcut has turned into an ordeal, with passengers forced to endure an overpowering stench rising from the pink-tinted surface.