Heavy Rains Paralyze Dhaka Traffic as Commuters Struggle with Flooded Streets
Photo Collected
Torrential rain brought life to a standstill across Dhaka on Sunday, as widespread waterlogging paralyzed major thoroughfares and left commuters stranded throughout the capital. The deluge, which began in the early hours, transformed streets in the Mirpur, Kazipara, and Shewrapara areas into knee-deep canals, causing widespread engine failures and public transit gridlock.
For Sohrab Sardar, a motorcycle ride-sharing driver who relies on the gig economy to support his family in the Hatirjheel area, the storm proved financially devastating. Sardar’s morning shift was cut short in Kazipara after a passing vehicle sent a wave of floodwater into his engine, rendering his motorcycle useless. Forced to manually push his disabled vehicle toward Mogbazar, Sardar noted that his day’s earnings were entirely eclipsed by the looming cost of repairs.
বিজ্ঞাপন
The situation was mirrored by hundreds of other commuters who found themselves trapped by the rising water. Nahid Islam, an office worker attempting to reach a private firm in Uttara, saw his commute end prematurely when his motorcycle’s chain dislodged in the flooded streets of Kazipara. Forced to remain idle for hours, many residents expressed shock at the intensity of the downpour, describing the scale of the flooding as unprecedented in recent memory.
The hazards of the submerged streets extended beyond vehicle malfunctions. At the Kazipara metro station, Mohammad Hasan recounted a harrowing experience after stumbling into an open manhole hidden beneath the murky water. Soaked and visibly shaken, he reported losing his phone and wallet in the incident, eventually securing passage to his destination only with the help of bystanders.
বিজ্ঞাপন
As the morning progressed, the combination of stagnant water and stalled traffic left many workers, such as Asif Hossain, unable to reach their destinations or return to their homes. With public transit points crowded and roads rendered impassable by deep water, the city struggled to cope with the surge, highlighting systemic vulnerabilities in urban drainage as residents braced for further disruption.
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