Heavy rains trigger widespread flooding in Gazipur, leaving thousands stranded

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Heavy rainfall lasting three hours has left at least six areas in Gazipur’s Kaliakoir municipality submerged, trapping approximately 5,000 families in floodwaters. The deluge, which began early Monday, has paralyzed daily life, with residents reporting waist-deep water in residential neighborhoods, commercial hubs, and along major thoroughfares.

The affected regions include Harinhati, Habibpur, Bishwaspara, Rupnagar, Shialpara, and the area surrounding the East Chandara Mosque. More than 48 hours after the initial downpour, floodwaters have yet to fully recede, forcing many families to abandon their homes. Displaced residents, including those with young children, have been forced to take shelter on higher ground along regional roads, relying on dry rations as their household furniture and belongings succumb to water damage.

Local residents attribute the crisis to a combination of unplanned urbanization, the encroachment of natural canals and reservoirs, and a failing drainage infrastructure. The situation is reportedly exacerbated in industrial zones, where poor water management has led to the mixing of floodwaters with industrial waste, raising significant public health concerns. Specific grievances have been directed at the Ansar-VDP Academy in Safipur, with locals claiming that recent construction work has obstructed the natural flow of water beneath the Dhaka-Tangail highway, trapping runoff in nearby settlements.

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Business owners in the municipality are facing substantial financial losses, as hundreds of shops and local markets remain inundated. The flooding has also disrupted the workforce, with many factory laborers forced to wade through waist-deep water to reach their jobs. In the 5th ward, the crisis has extended to schools and main thoroughfares, further isolating the local community.

Kaliakoir Municipal Administrator and Upazila Executive Officer H.M. Fakhrul Hossain acknowledged that the existing canal network has reached its maximum capacity, hindering rapid water drainage. While officials stated that cleaning operations are underway in several key drainage points and that water levels have begun a slow retreat, they promised to initiate broader efforts to desilt canals and restore the municipality’s impaired drainage systems to prevent future occurrences.