Heavy rains flood several areas in Khulna and Cumilla, hundreds of families affected
Several thousand HSC candidates sat for their examinations amid flooding at the city's three main examination centres
Several areas under Daulatpur and Khanjahan Ali police stations in Khulna city flooded following heavy rainfall that began on Friday (10 July) midnight and continued until yesterday (12 July) night.
Low-lying roads, drains, homes and educational institutions are underwater, causing suffering to hundreds of families. Many households reported damage to furniture and kitchen items as floodwater entered their homes.
Locals said several areas under Khanjahan Ali Police Station, including parts of Wards 4, 7 and 9 of Jogipol, Jabdipur, Teligati, Dhalipara, Khanabari, Bil Dakatia village and the Government Laboratory High School intersection, have been severely affected.
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Several areas under Daulatpur Police Station, including Pabla, Uttar Banikpara and Maheshwarpasha Paschimpara, have also been flooded. Low-lying areas under Khalishpur Police Station, including Bastuhara, Mujgunni and Goalkhali, have suffered similar problems.
A number of educational institutions have been affected by the flooding, including Government Teachers Training College, Higher Secondary Teacher Training Institute, Government Laboratory High School, Women's Technical Training Centre, Kharabar Girls High School, Shaheed Zia Adarsha Mahavidyalaya, Khanjahan Ali Technical and BM College, Teligati Secondary School, Udayan Government Primary School, Pratibha Pre-Cadet School, Mizan Academy and Alhera Pre-Cadet Madrasa.
Parts of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), including its main gate, playground and residential halls, have also been inundated. Many classrooms and institutional buildings have been affected.
139mm rain paralyses Cumilla, HSC examinees face ordeal
Heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours has inundated most roads in Cumilla city, with 139.4mm of rainfall recorded until this afternoon, triggering widespread waterlogging and disrupting public life.
The flooding affected the city's three main HSC examination centres, where several thousand candidates were sitting for their exams. The situation has drawn criticism as students had to attend examinations amid severe waterlogging.
At Cumilla Government Women's College centre, candidates were seen using boats to enter the premises. Students at Cumilla Victoria Government College and Cumilla Government College had to wade through waist-deep water to reach their examination halls.
Many candidates also walked long distances through floodwater after failing to find transport on time. Although some auto-rickshaws were operating, fares reportedly rose to between five and 10 times the usual rate.
The decision to continue the HSC examinations despite the severe weather drew criticism from parents and social media users.
Several officials of the Cumilla Education Board, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the matter depended on a central decision. They said the board had not anticipated such conditions in advance and the sudden heavy rainfall on Monday left no time to suspend the examinations.
Floodwater also entered homes across the city, with the ground floors of many houses submerged. Water entered shops and damaged goods after continuous rain from early morning, causing losses for traders. The ground floor of Cumilla General Hospital was also flooded, causing difficulties for patients.
Saidul Islam, a resident of Kabi Nazrul Hall at Cumilla Victoria Government College, said a snake entered the hall because of the flooding. He said the foul smell and stagnant water had made conditions unbearable.
Ferdous Alam, a grocery shop owner in Daulatpur, said recent rainfall had been light, but Monday's heavy downpour flooded his shop and many others nearby, damaging goods.
Syed Arifur Rahman, the official in charge of the Cumilla weather substation, said 139.4mm of rainfall was recorded in the past 24 hours. Of that, 107mm fell between 6:00am and 9:00am on Monday, which caused the waterlogging. He said the warning for heavy rainfall remains in effect and expressed hope that conditions would improve within the next couple of days.
Cumilla City Corporation Administrator Yusuf Molla Tipu could not be reached for comment. However, the city corporation said on its official page that emergency and sanitation teams were working to reduce public suffering caused by the temporary waterlogging.
