Staff Reporter :
Only three days are left to commence monsoon-the Bengali month of Ashar. But, the country on Thursday witnessed heavy downpour after several days of scorching heat that caused untold sufferings to the people, especially to the city dwellers.
Many areas in the capital went under knee-deep water due to the rainfall, forcing the dwellers to wade through the stagnant rain water in the absence of proper drainage system. So, instead of giving the much-needed relief, the rain added to the woes and ordeals of the city residents.
The most affected city areas include Kalshi Road, Journalists’ Housing Society at Mirpur, Kazipara, Tejgaon, Shantinagar, Mouchak, Malibagh, Rajarbagh and Badda area.
Thousands of office-goers and school-going children faced serious difficulties in reaching their respective educational institutions and workplaces in the morning as the heavy rainfall caused serious traffic congestion at Mirpur, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Hatirjheel, Panthapath, Gulshan and Baridhara areas.
A good number of motorised vehicles went out of order on the streets in the worst affected areas, particularly in Mirpur Kalshi Road, due to seepage of water into the engines deteriorating the traffic situation to a large extent. Rickshaws were the only mode of communication in the worst affected areas, but the fare was many times higher.
Although the normal life in the city was largely disrupted due to the downpour, the people welcomed the rain as it invited a cool breeze driving away the hot and humid weather.
Apart from these, the heavy downpour forced many people to remain indoors, while the conditions are predicted to remain the same for few days as monsoon has set on over Bangladesh. “A low depression lies over northwest Bay. Southwest monsoon has set on over Bangladesh. Monsoon is fairly active over the country and weak to moderate over north Bay,” an expert of the Meteorological Department told The New Nation, adding rain might continue till June 18.
According to Met office, light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty and squally wind is likely to occur at many places over Rangpur, Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions and at one or two places over Rajshahi, Khulna and Barisal divisions with moderately heavy to heavy falls at places over Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions.
The capital experienced 63 mm of rainfall on Thursday. Most of the lanes and by-lanes went under water as the drains are filled with household waste.
The highest rainfall was recorded 100 mm in Sylhet since 6:00 am to till 12:00 noon on Thursday. Besides, Srimangal experienced 30 mm, Feni 25 mm, Rangpur 20 mm, Mymensingh 24 mm, Madaripur 15 mm, Faridpur 7 mm, Syedpur 5 mm and Bogra 4 mm, the expert said.
With the southwest winds joining together, the monsoon would continue to cause further rains in the next seven days throughout the country, another expert of the Met office said.
Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokan visited the city’s Shantinagar area where traffic system was collapsed totally as the roads, lane and by-lane went under knee-deep water.
During the visit, he asked the officials to remove the water logging from the area immediately.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Inland Water and Transport Authority (BIWTA) on Thursday suspended operation of launch and steamer services from Sadarghat launch terminal and its adjacent areas on some routes due to inclement weather.
“Due to bad weather we have suspended operation of launch and steamer services on some routes. Besides, operation of launch services on Mawa-Kawrakandi, Daulatdia-Paturia and Narayanganj-Chandpur have also remained suspended,” BIWTA director Shafiqul Haque said.
Besides, launch operation on seven routes from Narayanganj River Port has also remained suspended. As a result, hundreds of passengers on Thursday faced the worst problems to reach their respective destinations.
