Bangladesh: Downpours paralyse life in capital, other cities

Dhaka, July 6, 2013 (New Age): Capital Dhaka and the other cities woke up to heavy rains and congested traffic on Saturday. The downpour disrupted morning rush hour traffic in all the cities and several district towns. Traffic crawled on water logged roads with commuters finding it difficult to reach destinations. The non stop rains from Friday night caused water logging on several roads and low lying areas in the capital and other cities and towns disrupting normal life and economic activities. Dhaka city witnessed huge traffic congestion at many places with the roads going under water. Shortage of transports further aggravated public sufferings. In the capital pavement and slum dwellers were the worst sufferers. Makeshift shops and hawkers’ markets remained closed in most of city areas and kitchen markets had fewer buyers. Increased fares charged by rickshaw pullers and auto-rickshaw drivers hurt commuters’ purses. The met office in Dhaka, recorded 70 mm  of rainfall in Dhaka,  49 mm in Khulna, 40 mm in Barisal and 45mm in Rangpur in 12 hours ending 6 PM on Saturday. Coastal district of Patuakhali was battered by the highest rainfall of 154 mm during the period. The Met Office said light to moderate rains or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind would be experienced in most places in Khulna, Barisal and Rajshahi, Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet and Rangpur divisions in the next 24 hours from 6 PM on Saturday. Dhaka Met Office weatherman Arif Hossain  said the intensity of the rains might decrease on Sunday but normal monsoon rains would continue. The maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazaar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to lower the local cautionary signal no three. According to Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, the water flow in the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, Ganges-Padma and the Meghna were rising and water level had risen at 34 out of 83 monitored points. Only Kansha at Jariajanjail are flowing above their danger levels. In Dhaka, most of the areas of Shantinagar, Mouchak, Malibagh, Mogbazar, New Market, Mirpur, Green Road, Matijheel, Shahbagh, Gulistan, Chankharpool, Nimtali, Basabo, Jatrabari, Khilgaon, Demra and Pallabi went under water causing traffic jams. Flyover construction and wayside storage of construction materials multiplied the woes of the commuters especially at Moghbazar, Mouchak, Shantinagar, Shahjahanpur, Eskaton, Satrasta, BFDC, Panthapath, Dhanmondi and Gulistan areas, commuters alleged. Several auto rickshaws broke down with water entering their engines at water logged roads at Kazipara, Mirpur causing a huge tailback behind them, a commuter Ashraful Islam told New Age. He said it took him almost three times the   normal time to reach his office at Karwanbazaar from Mirpur. Thousands of other commuters had similar stories to tell. New Age correspondent in Khulna reports, heavy rains disrupted normal life in Khulna city Saturday. The rains caused water logging in most of the important roads and low-lying areas of the southern city. Slum dwellers became the worst sufferers with their shanties deep under water. Except for a few rickshaws most other vehicles stayed off the roads in the southern city under knee-deep water. The city’s low-lying areas were inundated particularly Labonchara, Harintana, Arhonghata, Rupsha strand road, Mistripara, Mohirkhalparh and Natun Bazar. New Age Correspondent in Barisal reports that non stop heavy rains for 10 hours  paralyzed normal life in Barisal city and disrupted its river communication with outlying areas. Barisal River Port authority suspended operations of smaller water transports on the river routes since 8 AM, Md Shahidullah, Barisal river port officer told New Age. Most people stayed home. In the district towns of Patuakhali, Madaripur, Feni, Maijdi Court, Syedpur and Bhola he stuation was no different,  reported district correspondents.