Dhaka streets go under water as 60mm of rainfall recorded since morning

Most of the streets in Dhaka city went underwater on Friday morning due to heavy rainfall that began on early Friday. Toriful Nawaz Kabir, a meteorologist of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, told New Age that 60 millimeters of rainfall were recorded from 6:00am till 9:00am in Dhaka. He said that the rain might continue till evening.

Most of the streets in Dhaka city went underwater on Friday morning due to heavy rainfall that began on early Friday.

Toriful Nawaz Kabir, a meteorologist of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, told New Age that 60 millimeters of rainfall were recorded from 6:00am till 9:00am in Dhaka. He said that the rain might continue till evening.

Several residents reported that many streets, including Farmgate, Green Road, Karwan Bazar, Moghbazar, Arambagh, Motijheel, Dhanmondi 2, Dhanmondi 27, Shantinagar, Mirpur 1, Khilgaon, Lalmatia, and New Market, went underwater, causing sufferings to pedestrians and commuters.

Videos posted on social media showed that rainwater entered vehicles, including buses and CNG-run auto-rickshaws traveling along the main roads, leading to engine damage and breakdowns that created traffic congestion in different areas.

Many people were seen wading through ankle-deep water in Kakkrail, Mouchak, Malibagh, Shantinagar, Farmgate, Badda, Moghbazar, Mirpur and Khilkhet areas to reach their destinations.

The early morning weekend shoppers of kitchen items, travellers to home for vacation and morning joggers were the worst sufferers.

One Shah Alam, a car driver, said he came out from his Mouchak residence at about 7:00am to go to Gulshan but remained stranded for around 40 minutes at a lane in the Mouchak due to waterlogging.

Expressing resentment over the city’s drainage system, the private jobholder said that the city was turning into an unlivable city gradually as the low-lying areas usually get submerged after a light downpour.

He urged the authorities concerned to take measures to address the issue immediately. Like him, many city dwellers went through similar experience in the morning.

The downpour led to a thin presence of public transport on the streets, making it particularly difficult for examinees and their guardians to reach their destinations. The situation was exacerbated by widespread waterlogging in key areas, including Malibagh, Shantinagar, and Mogbazar. Taking the advantage of the waterlogging, rickshaw pullers were seen charging high fare.