Dhaka, Aug 3 – Rain between scorching heat should have been a relief for many. But now the rain has turned into a cause of miseries for Dhaka dwellers as they have to endure waterlogged roads and traffic gridlock after almost every spell of a heavy shower. As on many other days torrential downpour, triggered by active monsoon, submerged a number of areas in the capital on Thursday, inflicting immense sufferings on the commuters.
The rain started since morning and lasted until the afternoon.
The met office recorded 123mm of rainfall in Dhaka from 12pm to 6pm, said it’s duty assistant Ashiqur Rahman.
The rainwater inundated most of the roads, lanes and by-lanes in different parts of the city, including Mouchak, Malibagh Chowdhurypara, Shantinagar, Motijheel, Arambagh, Fakirapul, Kawranbazar, Green Road, Elephant Road, Shewrapara, Kazipara and Mirpur, Jatrabari and Rayerbagh.
Premises of the Secretariat, the nervecentre of country’s administration, also went under water. Some ministers and high government officials had no option to avoid rainwater that submerged ground floors of several buildings.
The rainwater also left several lifts out of service at the Secretariat.
The rainwater also entered many business establishments and roadside shops in Green Road, Shewrapara, Kazipara, Mirpur-10 and Mirpur-13 areas.
Bank official Shafiqul Islam, a resident of Mirpur-13, said almost the entire area of Mipur-13 went under knee-deep water due rain that lasted for only three hours.
Md Syfullah, a resident of the same area said, “I’ve called an Uber vehicle, but the driver refused to pick me up from my location and requested me to cancel the call citing that Mirpur-13 road went under knee-deep water.”
Rickshaw pullers and CNG-driven auto rickshaws drivers charged extra fare from commuter on the streets that went under ankle-deep to knee-deep water.
Besides, office-returnees were the worst sufferers in severe traffic gridlock, triggered by water-logging on the thoroughfares and lanes of the many parts of the capital.- UNB
