Rain causes severe waterlogging in Ctg, disrupts life in Dhaka

Continuous rainfall triggered by an active monsoon has caused severe waterlogging in several areas of Chattogram and low-lying parts of Dhaka, significantly disrupting daily life and causing major inconvenience to commuters in both cities.

In Chattogram, the rain began on Sunday night and continued until this morning, flooding various neighbourhoods. 

Areas including Chawkbazar, Bakalia, Muradpur, Sholokbahar, Bahaddarhat, Kapasgola, Pathantuli, DC Road, Boropool, Mohuripara, Agrabad, CDA Residential Area, Katalganj, and Gate No 2 saw knee-deep water, with some places submerged up to the waist.

The Met Office recorded 56.6mm of rainfall in 24 hours till 9am today. Mahmudul Hasan, a meteorologist at the Patenga office, told The Business Standard, "Chattogram may see moderate to heavy rain today, but the intensity is likely to ease gradually over the next three to four days."

The waterlogging forced many school and college students, office workers, and commuters to struggle with transportation. Kamrul Hasan, a journalist, said, "I left home around 9am for the office but found the ground floor waterlogged, so I decided to work from home."

College student Anis Jamal added, "The roads are flooded. I ran into trouble the moment I stepped outside. With no transport in sight, I had no choice but to return home."

Traffic congestion was reported in many waterlogged areas, with rickshaw and CNG auto-rickshaw drivers charging extra fares due to the high demand.

Many residents shared their experiences on social media. Md Sharif wrote on Facebook, "There's knee-deep water on Siraj-ud-Doula Road, causing a 2-km-long traffic jam. It's difficult to reach the office without using alternative routes. Private employees may face a salary cut for the day."

In Dhaka, the rain that started Sunday evening continued until this morning, leading to waterlogging in several low-lying parts of the city, reports UNB.

Office-goers and others faced a transport shortage during the busy morning hours, resulting in long waits and delays. Some passengers reported being overcharged by rickshaw pullers and CNG drivers.

Afroza Sultana, a meteorologist at the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, said Dhaka recorded 50mm of rainfall from 6pm Sunday to 6am today. "More rainfall is expected in Dhaka on Tuesday (today)," she added.

The Met office also reported the highest rainfall—124mm—during the same period in Rangamati.

A bulletin from the Met office forecasted "light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty winds" in most parts of Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions, with heavy falls in some areas. Temperatures are expected to remain nearly unchanged across the country.