City dwellers struggle amid relentless rain, waterlogging

Heavy and continuous rainfall since early Thursday morning has plunged Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, into chaos, causing severe waterlogging and traffic congestion. The Meteorological Department has confirmed that the downpour resulted from a deep depression, which intensified in the afternoon. By evening, many parts of the city were submerged in knee- to waist-deep water, rendering vehicles inoperable and leaving commuters stranded on the roads for hours.

Several major roads, including those in Bijoy Sarani, Banani, Mirpur, Shewrapara, Dhanmondi, and Uttara, were inundated. The situation was particularly dire in the Journalist Residential Area, where floodwaters rose nearly to chest level. Roads became indistinguishable from drains and canals, bringing life in the capital to a standstill. Schoolchildren, office-goers, and hospital-bound patients suffered immensely as movement across the city became nearly impossible.

City residents have blamed poor urban planning and the lack of an adequate drainage system for the recurring waterlogging. Every monsoon season brings similar scenes of distress, yet the authorities' responses are usually short-lived and superficial.

Expressing frustration, theatre activist Juliet informed to Views Bangladesh that, “This misery is the result of unplanned urban management. The two city corporations put on a show of preparation when the monsoon arrives, but for the rest of the year, there is no effective action. They’ve failed to address the root of the problem.”

Sheikh Sanjida, an employee at a private firm, shared her ordeal: “Whenever it rains, the people of Dhaka suffer. But this time, it’s worse than ever. It took me four and a half hours to get home from work due to the flooding. Water is everywhere—you can’t tell what’s road and what’s not.”

Sarkar Joy, who rode a motorcycle from Tangail to Dhaka, said his vehicle broke down after entering the city. Outraged, he said, “No one in this city cares about the people. If they did, we’d have a capital where living through such situations wouldn’t be this miserable.”

Despite widespread waterlogging, operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport remained largely unaffected. Airport Executive Director Ragib Samad stated, “Aside from some minor rescheduling, the weather hasn’t caused any major flight disruptions.”

Urban planners note that waterlogging has become a chronic and worsening issue in Dhaka. They point to the filling of water bodies, unplanned drainage systems, illegal constructions, and encroachment and pollution of canals as the key causes. According to them, this is not merely a natural calamity, but also a man-made disaster.

Experts further emphasize that without a sustainable drainage system and thoughtful urban planning, there is no escape from this recurring crisis. A lack of coordination between the two city corporations, absence of long-term planning, and failure to align infrastructure development with rapid urban growth are only worsening the situation.