The capital city of Dhaka has been experiencing torrential rains since the early morning due to the impact of Cyclone Remal, severely disrupting daily life. The downpour, accompanied by gusty winds, has particularly affected office workers, school-goers, and wage earners.
According to the meteorological office, Dhaka recorded 125 millimeters of rain today. The continuous rain has led to widespread water-logging, submerging many streets and making transportation difficult.
City residents struggled to find public transport, with many CNG-run auto-rickshaw drivers and rickshaw pullers charging extra fares or refusing to travel to waterlogged areas.
Kamal Hossain, an NGO employee, described his ordeal of leaving his home in Matuail at nine in the morning to get to his workplace in Motijheel. He got drenched while waiting for a bus at the Matuail bus station. When a bus finally arrived around 10 AM, it was overcrowded, and the journey to Gulistan was fraught with difficulty.
Similarly, Mosammat Faizunnessa left her home in the Sign Board area at eight in the morning for Farmgate. After reaching the bus station by rickshaw, she waited in vain as all incoming buses were packed and had their doors closed. By 10:30 AM, she had not found any bus or CNG-run auto-rickshaw.
Several low-lying areas, including Manik Mia Avenue, Dhanmondi Road No. 27, Green Road, New Market, and parts of Mirpur, faced severe water-logging. Key roads around New Market, Karwan Bazar, Qutubkhali, Shanir Akhra, Medical Road, Signboard, Chittagong Road, and the Demra DND area were submerged.
The gusty winds from Cyclone Remal also caused trees to fall in various parts of the city. A large Krishnachura tree fell in the Govt. D type Quarter area in Paikpara, Mirpur, while several trees collapsed around Ramna Park, halting vehicular movement until city corporation workers could clear the debris.
Metro rail services were disrupted multiple times throughout the morning, further compounding the difficulties faced by city dwellers.
The persistent rainfall and resulting disruptions have significantly impacted the daily activities of Dhaka's residents, highlighting the need for improved infrastructure to handle such weather events.
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