Public sufferings mount in capital

Public sufferings mounted due to water-logging and traffic jams caused by incessant rain in the capital on Monday.

Rain was pouring since Sunday night in almost all parts of the country, submerging many places in the capital.

The port city of Chittagong became a water body as heavy water-logging was created in most places.

The flooding took place in the run-up to a heat wave swept across the country.

Many roads in the capital went under knee-to-waist-deep water due to poor drainage, creating public woes.

The downpour intensified traffic jams in the overcrowded city, compounding commuters’ sufferings.

A large number of passenger buses and other vehicles broke down in the water-logging on streets.

Many said unplanned digging of roads and dumping of construction materials on roads under construction flyover aggravated the situation.

Shafiq Ahmed, an accounts officer at a garment factory in Tongi, said, “I suffered a lot while going to my office. After waiting for an hour, I managed to hire a CNG-run auto-rickshaw.”

“But I had to pay Tk 500 as against usual fare of Tk 150-200.

The driver did not follow the meter.”

Inhabitants in Kazipara, Sheorapara, Agargaon, Karwan Bazar, Badda, Rampura, Khilgaon, Mouchak, Shantinagar, Jatrabari, Kakrail, Moghbazar, Paltan, Motijheel, Asadgate, Dhanmondi 27, Sukrabad, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Hatirjheel, Panthapath, Shahbagh, Banani, Gulshan, Baridhara, Uttara  and Old Dhaka experienced serious water-logging.

Middle- and low-income people, who use rickshaws to travel short distances, suffered more than others’.
There was a shortage of rickshaws and fare was high.

Traffic came to a standstill following serious tailbacks on Dhaka-Mymensingh, Dhaka-Tangail and some other highways.

Eid shoppers at Bashundhara City Shopping Mall, Eastern Plaza, Elephant Road, Bangabazar, New Market, Gausia, Ramna Bhaban, Rapa Plaza, Shimanto Square, Mouchak Market and Jamuna Future Park had to face trouble for returning home amid torrential rain.

Hirok, a student of a private university in Banani, said, “I left the campus at 2:00pm but could not return home before 5:00pm due to shortages of CNG-run auto-rickshaw and rickshaw.”

“Although I am a student, I had to pay a double amount of money to a CNG driver and a rickshaw-puller due to rain and water-logging.”

Met office said a heavy-to-very heavy rainfall may occur in different places in Dhaka, Chittagong, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet divisions.

Landslide may take place due to rainfall in hilly regions of Chittagong and Sylhet divisions.

Services of launch, ferry and other water vessels were disrupted due to inclement weather.

Experts say water-logging is created for poor sewerage and drainage system in Dhaka and Chittagong both.

Besides, indiscriminate dumping of construction materials from the flyovers under construction and city road digging are responsible for water-logging and traffic jams.

Source: dailysun