Heavy rain through night leaves Dhaka waterlogged, commuters in distress
The rain, which began intermittently yesterday afternoon, intensified in the dead of night, submerging several low-lying areas and crippling traffic movement
The first half of October marks the final stage of the monsoon, which is usually lighter than the preceding months and expected to end around 15–17 October.
This year, however, a late-season low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a depression and may further develop into a deep depression, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) reported.
Dhaka and the surrounding areas experienced very heavy rainfall overnight, causing widespread waterlogging. Streets across Palton, Old Dhaka, Motijheel, Mirpur, Dhanmondi, Rampura, Malibagh, Tejgaon, Manik Mia Avenue, and other areas were submerged in knee- to waist-deep water, disrupting commuters and daily life. BMD recorded 132mm of rainfall in six hours from midnight to 6am.
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Commuters struggled to reach work. "It took me two hours to get from Kalshi to Farmgate. I had to wade through thigh-deep water just to find a bus," said Mizanur Rahman, a private sector employee.
Many others stayed home as public transport thinned and rickshaw fares doubled. Pedestrians and stranded passengers were forced to navigate flooded roads, while some buses stalled mid-route.
BMD issued a heavy rainfall warning for the next 72 hours, forecasting heavy (44–88mm/24hrs) to very heavy (over 88mm/24hrs) rain across the country's eight divisions. Meteorologist Dr Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik said, "Some areas, including Dhaka and Chattogram, may face waterlogging. Rainfall is higher than usual for this time of year."
The depression, located over the west-central Bay of Bengal, was centred about 915 km southwest of Chattogram port as of 3pm yesterday and is moving north-northwest.
Sustained winds near its centre were 40 km/h, gusting up to 50 km/h, with moderate to rough sea conditions. Ports in Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Mongla, and Payra have been advised to hoist local cautionary signal No 3.
A low-pressure trough stretching from East Uttar Pradesh through Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, and northern Bangladesh continues to feed moisture into the system, keeping the North Bay moderately active and fuelling intense rainfall. Experts note that the late surge may be linked to broader climate variability.
Flood Risk in Low-Lying Areas
The Bangladesh Water Development Board's Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) has warned of temporary flooding in low-lying areas of six districts: Feni, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Sherpur, Mymensingh, and Netrokona.
Rivers in Chattogram division, including Gomti, Muhuri, Selonia, and Feni, have risen over the past 24 hours. Muhuri and Selonia rivers may exceed danger levels in Feni district, while the Feni River may reach warning levels in Chattogram, causing temporary inundation.
In the Rangpur division, the Teesta River is expected to reach the warning level, potentially flooding low-lying areas of Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari.
The Kangsha, Someshwari, and Bhugai rivers in Mymensingh division may also rise to warning levels, affecting Sherpur, Mymensingh, and Netrokona districts.
FFWC Executive Engineer Sarder Udoy Raihan said, "Heavy rainfall in the Teesta basin increases flood risk, but inundation in low-lying areas is likely to be temporary. Other areas should not experience prolonged flooding.
