People have been suffering due to the hot and humid weather without any respite. Despite the weather forecasts predicting rain in areas of the country and some of them materializing as well, Dhaka was left out.
Finally, a heavy downpour this morning provided much-needed relief from the oppressive heat. The sky had been overcast since the early morning, and the rain, accompanied by thunderstorms, helped to alleviate the stifling heat that had gripped the city for the past few days.
However, the rain also caused significant disruption for commuters in Dhaka.
The rain, which began around 9:30am and continued until 11:30 am, led to flooding in several areas including Malibagh, Moghbazar, Shantinagar, Farmgate, Badda, Mirpur, and Khilkhet. Office-goers and residents found themselves wading through ankle-deep water to reach their destinations.
Humaira Mustazir was headed to work this morning from Dhanmondi 7/A. She was running late as there were fewer modes of transport on the streets. When she opted for a CNG, she said the CNG driver charged her a higher fare than usual due to the weather conditions.
“I normally travel within Tk150-200. Today, after waiting for a long time, when I finally got a CNG, I had to pay Tk250.”
The roads near her house were clogged with ankle-deep water when she left.
“There was slight traffic on the road during the rain, and it was smoother than regular weekdays. But the roads near my destination at Eskaton Garden Road were kind of submerged in water.”
Another local from Badda, Surma Akter, faced a harder time getting to work this morning. She described the streets covered in knee-deep water. When her bus stopped at the capital’s Hatirjheel area, she said she was stuck in the rain for about 40 minutes.
“It was raining so heavily, we couldn’t even cross the road. Around 30-40 people took shelter under a tree. I couldn’t find a transport. Then I took the bus, then a rickshaw and reached the office.
“Everyone was completely drenched. It took me almost 2 hours to get to my destination which usually takes about an hour tops.”
Many people were seen struggling through the waterlogged roads, highlighting the city’s drainage issues.