Normal life was hit hard by intermittent to heavy downpour in capital Dhaka, port city Chittagong and other parts of country since early Monday.
People in the capital Dhaka and other metropolitan cities, especially Chittagong and Khulna suffered immensely as main streets went under waters.
Sufferings of the commuters, especially office-goers and students, knew no bound due to lack of transports and traffic gridlock on the thoroughfares.
Our correspondent from different parts of country reported the fallout from heavy downpour. Vehicular movements almost came to a halt, they said. country.
In Dhaka, many roads were submerged by water and the rain slowed down vehicular movement, leading to heavier traffic on the roads.
The rain submerged most city streets and low-lying areas, creating traffic chaos all around.
The low-lying lanes and by-lanes in the city experienced a massive water-logging. . City’s major thoroughfares, including Mirpur, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Hatirjheel, Panthapath, Shahbagh, Paltan, Motijheel, Gulshan and Baridhara, Dhanmondi, New Market, Kuril Biswa Road, Airport Road, Banani, Kakrail, Rampura saw serious traffic snarls.
Besides, big potholes on roads and indiscriminate road digging intensified the traffic congestion.
Commuters suffered immensely as important city streets went under water in Karwan Bazar, Kazipara, Shewrapara Kalshi Road, Bhasantek Mirpur-13, Uttara, Manik Miah Avenue, Farmgate, Tejkunipara, Mauchak, Malibagh, Rampura, Shantinagar, Banani, Dhanmodi, Razarbagh and some other areas.
While visiting the spot this correspondent found the situation worse in areas like Rampura, Chowdhurypara and Mauchak where roads construction works under different development projects were in progress.
“It took me over three and half hours to reach Motijheel from Uttara as my bus couldn’t move due to heavy traffic amid rain,” a commuter of a city bus said.
It usually takes not more than one and a half hours by bus to reach Motijheel from Uttara, but on Monday it took around three and a half hours.
The rickshaw-pullers and CNG-run auto rickshaw drivers were seen demanding extra fares from passengers during the rain.
In Chittagong, most low-lying areas remained under keep-deep to waist-deep water due to heavy rain for the last two days, causing suffering to the city dwellers.
Patenga Metrological office recorded 165.6 millimeter rains in the last 24 hours on Monday.
The civic life almost came to a standstill as almost all the city roads went under water.
The water entered low-lying residential houses, educational institutes and business firms that added to the city residents’ woes..
The city commuters had to endure sufferings while traveling through roads Bahaddarhat, Muradpur, Gate No.2, GEC circle, WASA Circle and Lalkhan Bazar Agrabad, Halishahar, Patenga and Bakalia and Chawkbazar.
The water logging was compounded by flash flood when tidal water entered many low-lying areas of the city including Halishahar, Agrabad, Kattali, Bandartila, Goshaildanga, Saltgola Crossing, Chaktai, Khatunganj, Patanga and Bandar.
As rainwater entered different shops of the Khatunganj wholesale market, essential commodities like rice, wheat, onion and garlic were damaged.
A shopkeeper was seen scooping out water with a bucket from his shop at the wholesale market.
He said most of the goods, including sugar, flour, onion garlic and rice, of his shop were damaged
The students of educational institutions, garment workers and office-goers faced immense sufferings due to the water-logging.
The city dwellers alleged that canals and the drains are not being cleaned regularly by the city corporation.
So, the residents are not being got rid off from the prolonged waterlogging.
There is no initiative to dig the canals and drains, now filled with garbage, they said.
Meanwhile, a flight of Regent Airways was forced to land at Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka as it could not land at Shah Amanat International Airport due to inclement weather.
The flight came from Muscat, capital of Oman, around 8 am on Monday, but could not manage to land at the airport due to bad weather, said manager of Shah Amanat International Airport wing commander Riazul Karim.
However, other flights other flights landed at the airport safely.
In Khulna, torrential rains starting early Monday waterlogged major parts of the city, paralysing city life and causing immense sufferings to the city dwellers.
Many lowlying areas of the city’s KDA Avenue, Khanjahan Ali Road, Lower Jessore Road, Rupsha Strand Road, Sher-e-Bagla Road, Iqbalnagar, Tutpara and many low lying areas have already gone under water and vehicular movement in these areas have been severely hampered.
Residents blame the negligence of Khulna City Corporation for the water-logging in the city that has been recurring every year.
In Satkhira, incessant rain for the last several days submerged low-lying areas in seven upazilas of the district, causing sufferings to people.
In Sadar and Tala upazilas several important roads went under knee-deep water, forcing people to remain indoors, locals said.
People have been marooned in some areas of the seven upazilas and fish enclosures, ponds were inundated, causing losses to farmers.
Meteorological Department (BMD) on Monday said due to active monsoon heavy (44-88 mm) to very heavy (89 mm or more) rainfall is likely to occur at places over Khulna, Barisal and Chittagong divisions today (Tuesday)
A warning message further said that due to heavy to very heavy rainfall and landslide may occur at places over the hilly regions of Chittagong division.
It said “Rain or thunder showers temporary south or south-easterly gusty or squally wind speed 45-60 kph is likely to occur over the regions of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Pabna, Bogra, Tangail, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Faridpur, Madaripur, Jessore, Kushtia, Khulna, Barisal, Patuakhali, Noakhali, Comilla, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar And Sylhet wherein riverports shall hoist cautionary signal number one till 1pm” on Monday.
