People yesterday suffered immensely as the low-lying areas of the capital city went under knee-deep water due to the continuous heavy rainfall, which started as a shower in the early hours.
Townspeople had to see another terrible day amid huge traffic gridlock caused by heavy downpour.
The heavy rain started in the morning inundating many parts of the capital within half an hour which intensified traffic jam as the city roads were clogged with vehicles of Eid shoppers on the weekly holiday.
The rainwater inundated roads at Mirpur-10, Kazipara, Bijoy Sarani, Malibagh, Shantinagar, Shantibagh, Merul Badda, Demra, Jatrabari and Shaniakhra areas.
Commuters had to face utmost trouble while traveling through the waterlogged roads of Moghbazar, Mouchak, Malibagh, Shantinagar Eskaton, Dilu Road, Siddeswari, Shatrasta and Rampura areas as the roads developed potholes and turned muddy due to the construction work on Moghbazar-Mouchak Flyover.
Motorists and commuters got stuck in long tailbacks on rain-submerged roads for hours.
The rainwater compelled many commuters to walk miles for going to their destinations leaving vehicles that stuck to the long tailback. The Muslim devotees of Friday prayers suffered a lot due to the rain at noon.
Sayeeda Yesmin, a resident of Pallabi, said she had gone to Basundhara Shopping complex in the morning, but she needed over three hours to return home while she was returning home in the afternoon.
Mustafizur Rahman, a resident of Bongsal area, told the Dhaka Tribune that almost all the roads of the old town were clogged by traffic. “I had to face obstacle even while I was walking on road,” he said.
“We have been enduring the same sufferings over the years. Is there any who can come forward in aid of us? We see no respite from waterlogging or traffic gridlock in near future,” said an aggrieved auto-rickshaw passenger.
“I had a plan to finish my Eid shopping today but I’ve lost all my energy as I had wait in long tailback for one and a half hours for reaching a shopping mall at Dhamondi from my Shantibagh residence,” said Mahmuda Begum, a resident of Shantibagh area.
Bangladesh Meteorological Department recorded 37 milimetres rainfall from 6:00am to 3 pm in the capital today.
An official at the met office said light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty/squally wind is likely to occur in the next 24 hours till 6 am Saturday at most places over
Dhaka, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna and Barisal divisions and many places over Chittagong and Sylhet divisions.
Besides, moderately heavy to very heavy falls are likely at some places over the country.
