Relentless rainfall over the past two days has submerged large parts of the capital, leaving roads waterlogged and bringing daily life to a crawl as commuters and residents grappled with severe disruptions on Monday.
Waterlogging has inundated major roads and narrow streets across the city, hampering the movement of office-goers, students and other commuters.
According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), Dhaka recorded 76mm of rainfall between midnight and 6:00am on Sunday. The persistent downpour prevented rainwater from draining quickly from many areas, leading to severe waterlogging.
After visiting several parts of the capital, including Bangshal, Tantibazar, Green Road, Panthapath, Tejturi Bazar, Monipuripara, Dhanmondi, Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Shewrapara, Kalshi, Uttara, Jatrabari and Dholai Khal, it was found that roads and alleys submerged, with knee-deep water reported in many locations.
Traffic slowed considerably as vehicles struggled to navigate flooded streets, while pedestrians waded through waterlogged roads.
Fresh rainfall on Monday morning also caused waterlogging in Banani, Kakoli, Mirpur, ECB Chattar and Kuril. In response, the Gulshan Traffic Division of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) advised commuters to avoid the affected routes and use alternative roads.
The Gulshan Traffic Division said continuous rainfall over the past several days had caused waterlogging on several city roads, disrupting vehicular movement.
Water has accumulated on both inbound and outbound lanes near the Dhaka Gate adjacent to Banani Graveyard, affecting traffic flow. Minor waterlogging was also reported at the Banani-Kakoli exit ramp of the Elevated Expressway, slowing vehicles.
In the ECB area, water has pooled in front of Cantonment Girls' School, resulting in slow-moving traffic from Mirpur DOHS and Kalshi towards the Matikata Flyover. Traffic has also been moving slowly in front of Jamuna Future Park due to water accumulation and ongoing pipeline works by Dhaka WASA.
Mohammad Nasim, a resident of Kazipara in Mirpur, told Dhaka Tribune that knee-deep water had inundated many parts of the neighbourhood, leaving residents effectively confined to their homes since Sunday.
He said: ‘City Corporation workers had visited the area, but the water had yet to recede despite two days of efforts”.
Sattar Mia, a resident of Bangshal, expressed frustration over the recurring waterlogging in the area.
"Even a little rain causes waterlogging here. After two days of continuous rainfall, the situation has become unbearable. Drainage waste has entered our homes, and we have no idea when the water will recede," he said.
He added that he had contacted the city corporation, which informed him that drainage work was underway.
Sattar said: “The chronic drainage problem should have been addressed during the dry season, criticising the authorities for failing to take preventive measures”.
Citywide waterlogging also disrupted the movement of rickshaws, CNG-run auto-rickshaws and private vehicles, with transport fares doubling on many routes. In several areas, waves created by passing heavy vehicles splashed pedestrians, adding to commuters' misery.
Waterlogging across the capital has triggered an acute transport shortage, forcing many commuters to pay several times the usual fare to reach their destinations.
Arafat Rahman, a student of Jagannath University, was waiting in Bangshal for a vehicle to take his ailing mother to Popular Diagnostic Centre in Dhanmondi when he found himself stranded by the lack of transport.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, he said he had secured a doctor's appointment for 5:00pm, but travelling by bus was not an option due to his mother's condition.
"An auto-rickshaw normally charges around Tk100 from Bangshal to Popular Diagnostic Centre. Today, drivers were asking for Tk400 because the road from Bangshal to Gulistan is submerged. With no other option, I had to agree to Tk350," he said.
Meanwhile, the authorities of Dhaka's two city corporations said they were working around the clock to ease waterlogging across the city.
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Mohammad Abdus Salam said emergency response teams had been deployed since Sunday.