Dhaka dwellers yesterday suffered yet another traffic nightmare as heavy monsoon showers brought the city to a standstill.
The capital saw a total collapse of the traffic system due to inundated roads and heavy gridlock.
People who came out in droves to shop for the Eid-ul-Fitr had to brave the congestion and knee-deep water throughout the city.
Many shoppers had to break fast on the streets amid gridlock. They also could not get out from their vehicles as it was raining indiscriminately since morning.
Continuous rain since Thursday afternoon have been disrupting normal life by creating waterlogging in many areas of the city and marooning the residents.
According to the Meteorological Department, the capital experienced 67 millimetres of rainfall till 6pm yesterday in the last 24 hours.
Tariqul Hasan, a businessman told the Dhaka Tribune that he started for New Market from Rampura but he could make it to only Kakrail intersection after three hours. “I do not know whether I will reach my destination before iftar,” he said.
Traffic gridlock was seen on Panthapath, Karwan Bazar and Farmate because of Bashundhara City Shopping Mall while the whole stretch of Mirpur Road with New Market, Gausia, Chandnichawk and various shops experienced severe traffic snarls too.
Elephant Road, Shatmasjid Road and other parts of the city with popular shopping centres were also packed.
Musleh Uddin Ahmed, joint commissioner (traffic south) said the large number of Eid shoppers as well as waterlogging in different places disrupted the traffic flow.
Meanwhile, many parts of the city remain submerged with water going into homes and shops in the low lying areas.
Temporary waterlogging was seen at Badda, Rampura, Bangshal, Chawkbazar, Sutrapur, Nababpur, Motijheel, Shantinagar, Malibagh, Kakrail, Sabujbagh, Khilgaon, Moghbazar, Mouchak, Shyampur, Senpara Parbata, Kazipara, Shewrapara, Farmgate, Uttara, Dakhinkhan, Dhanmondi, Sayedabad, Jatrabari, Gulshan, Banani, Mirpur and several other areas.
Meteorological Department, however, said the intensity of rainfall in the capital was likely to cease from Sunday with light to moderate rain continuing across the country.