Chattogram Bureau :
Hours of incessant rain left large parts of the Chattogram city inundated, causing untold sufferings to people.
The waterlogging on the first working day of the week, left commuters wading through knee-deep to waist-deep water to reach their destinations.
Low lying areas of the city, including Chowkbazar, Bahaddarhat, Muradpur, Oxygen Intersection, Kapasgola, Halishahar, Sholosahar, Agrabad, Rampura, Saraipara and Gosaindanga were seen flooded with knee-deep to waist-deep water following the heavy rain.
Important roads in the Jamal Khan, Boro Pole, Choto Pole, Patenga, EPZ, Prabartak Intersection and Dampara areas were also flooded.
Engine driven transports could not ply on the major roads due to water logging. The slums of the low-lying areas washed away with tidal water accompanied by heavy shower.
The Maa O Shishu Hospital in the port city’s Agrabad area was worstly affected by flash flood. The ground floor of the largest private hospital has gone under water disrupting treatment of Covid patents.
Waterlogging was also witnessed the city’s biggest wholesale market in Khatunganj, as well as in the Asadganj and Chaktai areas, flooding most shops in these markets.
UNB adds: The Bahaddarhat-Muradpur main road was also flooded by the overnight rain, causing disruptions to traffic and pedestrian movement.
Most city dwellers failed to reach their workplaces on time as the availability of transports on the streets was thin due to the downpour and waterlogging.
Many office-goers were seen wading through the flooded streets, either on foot or through rickshaws or vans.
Several residents of Chattogram city told UNB they were disappointed with the continuing waterlogging problem despite assurances from the authorities that it would be addressed.
Tajul Islam, a bank official, said: “I couldn’t go to my office as I got struck in knee-deep water for hours.”
He added that a long-term plan was desperately needed to develop the city and mitigate the public’s suffering.
Abdur Rashid, a resident of the Bakolia area, said: “It seems that the authorities have no headache about public suffering.”
According to the local Met Office, 30.8 mm of rainfall was recorded in Chattogram from 9am on Saturday to 9am on Sunday, and the rain is likely to continue for a few more days.
Soibal Das, Councillor of Jamalkhan Ward, told UNB: “A project is being implemented to end the waterlogging problem. Rainwater cannot pass through the canal as the project has not been completed yet. As a result, the low-lying areas of Jamalkhan Byline, Dewanji Pukur, Gitanjali Colony, Askar Dighi Par and Kazir Deuri were flooded.”
He added that there was no scope to avoid the responsibility and they were thinking about how to quickly mitigate the suffering of the people.
