Around noon today, rain that had begun the previous night was still pouring across Dhaka. To assess conditions on the ground, this correspondent travelled by rickshaw from Ittefaq intersection to Kakrail intersection.
According to Google Maps, the 3.4 km route can be covered on foot in about 40 minutes. Today, however, the same journey took nearly one and a half hours, almost entirely through floodwater.
The real ordeal began after crossing Shapla Chattar. By the time the rickshaw reached Notre Dame College, floodwater had risen above the footrest and started entering the passenger seat.
Unable to continue, rickshaw puller Motaleb stopped.
"It is impossible to pedal rickshaw in this water," he said. "Vehicles moving nearby create strong currents in the floodwater, making it too dangerous to ride."
Image
Photo: Dipan Nandy/Star
From Notre Dame College to Fakirapool intersection, the road was under at least four feet of water. At least 60 vehicles, including several buses, were stranded along the route.
Near Notre Dame College, private-sector employee Rahat Hossain voiced his frustration. “I left home for work. But after stepping outside, I feel it was the biggest mistake I have ever made,” he said.
Another office-goer standing nearby, Ashraful Alam, said, “Only those who have no other choice continue to live in this city.”
Throughout the 90-minute journey, this correspondent did not see any Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) workers carrying out drainage or water removal operations on the affected roads.
In a press release issued around 2:00pm, DSCC said it had begun pumping out water using two high-capacity pumps at Kamalapur and one at Dholai Khal to ease waterlogging in different parts of the city.
The city corporation also said its emergency response teams had been working since dawn to keep drainage inlets clear and facilitate the flow of rainwater.
DSCC Administrator Mohammad Abdus Salam said, "Although continuous heavy rainfall has caused temporary waterlogging, our workers have been on the ground since early morning to bring the situation under control. We are making every effort to remove waterlogging and other obstacles so that normal city life can resume as quickly as possible."
He urged residents to remain patient and work together to overcome the crisis.
"DSCC stands by its citizens at all times," he added.
