Relentless rain inundates all 33 wards of Rangpur city, 3,000 families stranded

Continuous heavy rainfall from Friday night through Saturday morning has inundated all 33 wards of Rangpur city, leaving at least 3,000 families waterlogged and disrupting daily life across low-lying areas.

Residents of at least 12 neighbourhoods have been marooned as floodwater entered homes, halting cooking and other household activities. Many areas are also facing an acute shortage of safe drinking water after supply points went underwater, forcing families to rely on dry foods.

Locals blamed poor drainage management and lack of maintenance by the city corporation for the severe waterlogging. They also cited unplanned construction, clogged outlets and the absence of proper dredging of key canals, including Shyamasundari and KD canals, as contributing factors.

However, Rangpur City Corporation Chief Engineer Azam Khan pointed to public negligence as a major cause, saying construction materials left on drains have obstructed water flow, worsening the situation in low-lying areas.

He added that municipal workers have been working since morning to drain out water and conditions are expected to improve by noon.

According to the Rangpur Meteorological Office, rainfall in April has already far exceeded normal levels. While the monthly average stands at 110mm, this year it has reached around 290mm.

Observer Afroza Parvin said 68.6mm of rainfall was recorded between Friday night and Saturday noon, with more rain likely in the coming days.

Despite the urban disruption, agricultural officials see the rainfall as beneficial for crops. Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension Sirajul Islam said the rain has reduced irrigation costs for boro cultivation and is unlikely to cause significant damage, potentially boosting yields this season.