Continuous overnight torrential monsoon downpours left extensive areas of the capital submerged on Sunday, severely paralyzing traffic and inflicting widespread misery upon commuters and residents alike.
According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), Dhaka logged 97 mm of rainfall during the 24-hour period leading up to 6 am on Sunday, followed by an additional 82 mm recorded between 6 am and 12 pm.
BMD Assistant Meteorologist Afroza Sultana confirmed these cumulative figures and cautioned that the persistent precipitation is expected to continue through Monday. The relentless volume of water caused drainage systems to fail across numerous neighborhoods.
Severe waterlogging crippled key commercial and residential hubs, including Motijheel, Dilkusha, Tikatuli, Shantinagar, Badda, Green Road, Tejturi Bazar, Panthapath, Bashundhara Residential Area, Monipur, Dhanmondi 27 and 32, Mohammadpur, Shewrapara, and Kalshi.
Major thoroughfares vanished beneath knee-deep water, dragging vehicular speeds to a crawl and forcing pedestrians to navigate flooded, submerged footpaths as walking lanes went entirely underwater.
Inside residential alleys, stagnant rainwater rose well past knee level, trapping residents and obstructing access to main roads, while submerged streets similarly disrupted academic activities by keeping students from reaching their schools.
Office-goers and daily commuters braved the severe conditions out of necessity, relying on umbrellas while wading through dirty, stagnant water that soaked their clothes and footwear.
The congestion heavily restricted rickshaws, auto-rickshaws, and private cars, with waves from passing heavy vehicles frequently splashing dirty water onto pedestrians struggling along the margins.
Detailing his ordeal in the commercial district, Dilkusha-bound commuter Jahangir Alam explained that he had to abandon his auto-rickshaw midway because the driver refused to press into the deep water, saying, "The rickshaw puller refused to move further into the knee-deep water. That’s why I am forced to walk through the flooded footpath just to reach my office. I have no other option to choice."
Echoing this frustration, Tikatuli resident Kalpana Akter noted that despite carrying an umbrella, she reached her workplace with her shoes and clothes completely soaked.
