A sudden spell of torrential rain lashed Dhaka on Monday evening, triggering waterlogging across several areas and bringing traffic to a crawl as thousands of office-goers struggled to make their way home.
The downpour quickly turned several major roads into congested stretches, with water accumulating in low-lying areas and slowing vehicular movement.
After visiting Karwan Bazar, Farmgate, Shahbagh, Paltan, Motijheel, Dhanmondi and Mirpur Road, it was found that traffic moving at a snail’s pace shortly after the rain began. In some areas, standing water made it difficult for vehicles to move normally, further worsening the congestion.
For commuters, the evening rush quickly turned into a frustrating ordeal.
“I was caught in the rain as soon as I left the office. Buses are hard to find, and the ones available are so crowded that there is hardly any room to get on,” said an employee of a private company in Motijheel.
He added that CNG-run auto-rickshaws and ride-sharing services were also demanding higher fares, leaving commuters with few affordable options to get home.
Rafiqul Islam, deputy commissioner of the Tejgaon Traffic Division, said the rain had significantly slowed vehicular movement across the capital.
“Vehicles cannot maintain their normal speed because of the rain. Traffic signals are also facing additional pressure as pedestrians take shelter at different points and water accumulates on parts of the roads,” he said.
Despite the adverse weather, traffic police personnel were working in the rain to keep the roads moving and manage the mounting congestion, he added.
For Dhaka’s commuters, however, the combination of heavy rain, waterlogged roads and peak-hour traffic once again exposed the capital’s persistent struggle with drainage and traffic management.
Torrential rain triggers waterlogging, gridlock in Dhaka
A sudden spell of torrential rain lashed Dhaka on Monday evening, triggering waterlogging across several areas and bringing traffic to a crawl as thousands of office-goers struggled to make their way home.
The downpour quickly turned several major roads into congested stretches, with water accumulating in low-lying areas and slowing vehicular movement.
After visiting Karwan Bazar, Farmgate, Shahbagh, Paltan, Motijheel, Dhanmondi and Mirpur Road, it was found that traffic moving at a snail’s pace shortly after the rain began. In some areas, standing water made it difficult for vehicles to move normally, further worsening the congestion.
For commuters, the evening rush quickly turned into a frustrating ordeal.
“I was caught in the rain as soon as I left the office. Buses are hard to find, and the ones available are so crowded that there is hardly any room to get on,” said an employee of a private company in Motijheel.
He added that CNG-run auto-rickshaws and ride-sharing services were also demanding higher fares, leaving commuters with few affordable options to get home.
Rafiqul Islam, deputy commissioner of the Tejgaon Traffic Division, said the rain had significantly slowed vehicular movement across the capital.
“Vehicles cannot maintain their normal speed because of the rain. Traffic signals are also facing additional pressure as pedestrians take shelter at different points and water accumulates on parts of the roads,” he said.
Despite the adverse weather, traffic police personnel were working in the rain to keep the roads moving and manage the mounting congestion, he added.
For Dhaka’s commuters, however, the combination of heavy rain, waterlogged roads and peak-hour traffic once again exposed the capital’s persistent struggle with drainage and traffic management.