Dhaka deluged

Torrential overnight rain brought Dhaka to a standstill on Sunday, submerging roads and neighbourhoods under knee- to waist-deep water, crippling transport, delaying commuters, forcing schools to postpone examinations and exposing the capital's chronic drainage woes.

The downpour, which intensified before dawn with frequent thunderstorms, dumped 179mm of rain between midnight and 600am�"the highest six-hour rainfall recorded in the capital so far this month, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD). The city received 97mm of rain in the previous 24 hours, while the Met Office warned that showers would continue, with moderate to very heavy rainfall likely across parts of the country.

Despite the deluge, thousands of HSC and equivalent examinees, accompanied by anxious guardians, braved flooded streets to reach examination centres.

Amid this situation, a number of students and their guardians, especially the HSC and equivalent examinees, had to move outside of the residence to attend their examinations held on Sunday.

The BMD said skies would remain mostly cloudy with south to south-easterly winds blowing at 10-15 kmh, while daytime temperatures were expected to remain largely unchanged. Similar weather conditions are forecast across Dhaka, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Chattogram, Khulna and Barishal divisions.

The prolonged rainfall quickly overwhelmed the city's drainage system, leaving numerous roads, intersections and residential lanes submerged. Waterlogging was reported in Mohammadpur, Merul Badda, DIT Project area, ECB Chattar, Malibagh, Shantinagar, Sayedabad, Agargaon, Khamarbari, Farmgate, Tejgaon Truck Stand, Shonir Akhra, Old Dhaka, Bangshal, Nazimuddin Road, Dhanmondi, Mirpur 1, 2 and 10, Mirpur-11, 12 and 13, Mirpur Kazipara, Shewrapara, Kalshi, parts of Hatirjheel, Gulshan Lake area, Kalachandpur, Baridhara link roads and several other low-lying neighborhoods. 

By early morning, roads in Green Road, Tejturi Bazar, Panthapath, Manipuripara, Bashundhara Residential Area, Dhanmondi-27 and Dhanmondi-32, Bijaynagar, Kazipara and Mirpur were submerged, with water levels ranging from knee-deep to waist-high in some locations.

 Residents also reported severe flooding on Crescent Road and Shewrapara WASA Road.

The waterlogging severely disrupted public transport and traffic across the capital. Slow-moving vehicles, engine failures caused by floodwater and a shortage of available transport created long traffic queues on key corridors, including Shewrapara, Kazipara, Mirpur-10, ECB Chattar, Pallabi, Agargaon, Shahbagh and Airport Road.

Flooding also affected Kakoli, Banani and Khilkhet, where accumulated water significantly slowed traffic. Authorities reported knee-deep water around the Dhaka Elevated Expressway ramp at Kakoli, causing vehicles exiting the expressway to merge into already congested surface traffic and creating long tailbacks.

The Gulshan Division of Traffic Police issued a public advisory around 1100 am, warning motorists and pedestrians about extensive waterlogging in Banani, Khilkhet, Dhaka Gate and the Kakoli ramp area. The police urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel, drive cautiously through flooded roads, maintain safe distances between vehicles, use alternative routes where possible and follow traffic police instructions.

Despite a relatively normal number of buses operating, unusually high passenger demand left many commuters waiting through several full buses before boarding, while others travelled in overcrowded vehicles.

Thousands of office-goers struggled to reach their workplaces. Many commuters reported waiting for buses for extended periods as services slowed considerably due to waterlogged roads.

One commuter waiting at Agargaon for a bus to Mohakhali said she had been stranded for nearly an hour without finding transportation, expressing uncertainty about reaching her office on time. Another commuter in Kazipara reported waiting around 40 minutes for a university bus, saying services had become highly irregular because of flooding.

Many private vehicles, CNG-powered auto-rickshaws and motorcycles also encountered difficulties. Several vehicles reportedly stalled after their engines became submerged, while drivers were seen pushing stranded vehicles through floodwater.

The adverse weather also disrupted educational activities across the capital. Several schools and colleges postponed scheduled examinations after students were unable to reach campuses safely.

Among the institutions that suspended examinations were Monipur High School and College's Shewrapara Branch-3, Viqarunnisa Noon School and College's Bailey Road campus, YWCA Higher Secondary Girls' School's Green Road branch, Bir Shreshtha Noor Mohammad Public College, Nalanda School in Shankar and Navy Anchorage School and College in Khilkhet.

Parents expressed concern over sending children through flooded streets, prompting school authorities to announce postponements early in the morning.

Residents across the city described unprecedented flooding in areas that normally remain free from waterlogging. Some commuters reported paying significantly higher transport fares as drivers avoided submerged roads, while many others walked through knee-deep water to reach workplaces.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) said continuous overnight rainfall caused severe waterlogging around both sides of the Kazipara Metro Rail Station. The corporation's waste management division said emergency teams were working to remove standing water and reduce public suffering.

Although fewer people ventured outdoors because of the relentless rain, those who did faced difficult conditions throughout the city as continuous showers, widespread flooding and heavy traffic combined to create one of the capital's most disruptive monsoon mornings this season. Authorities have advised residents to remain cautious and limit non-essential travel until weather conditions improve.