Dhaka drenched as monsoon downpour floods roads, snarls traffic, shuts school exams

Heavy monsoon rain since late Saturday night inundated large parts of Dhaka on Sunday, triggering widespread waterlogging, crippling traffic, delaying thousands of commuters and forcing several schools to postpone examinations.

A Daily Waadaa visit to different parts of Agargaon found roads submerged in several locations, particularly in the western part of the area, where water covered major streets and left many commuters stranded. Rickshaws, motorcycles, private cars and buses struggled to move through flooded roads, while pedestrians waded through knee-deep water in many neighbourhoods.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) recorded 76 mm of rainfall between midnight and 6:00am, the highest six-hour rainfall recorded in the capital so far this month. Heavy rain continued through the morning under the influence of an active monsoon system.

Waterlogging was reported across a wide swathe of the city, including Agargaon, Shewrapara, Kazipara, Mirpur, Kalshi, Green Road, Panthapath, Tejturi Bazar, Dhanmondi 27 and 32, Mohammadpur, Bashundhara Residential Area, Bijoy Sarani, Karwan Bazar, Kolabagan, Malibagh, Kakrail and Crescent Road.

In many areas, water rose to knee level, while residents reported waist-deep flooding on some low-lying roads, making several stretches virtually impassable.

The flooding severely disrupted traffic across the capital. Vehicles crawled through waterlogged roads, while some cars and motorcycles broke down after floodwater entered their engines. Long queues formed at bus stops as commuters waited for transport, with many reporting higher-than-usual fares from rickshaw and ride-sharing services.

One of the worst-hit corridors was the road from Shewrapara to Mirpur-10, where prolonged congestion left commuters stuck for hours.

The rain also disrupted academic activities. Several schools postponed examinations after access roads around their campuses went under water, while many parents chose not to send their children to school over safety concerns.

Urban planners and residents have long blamed Dhaka's recurring monsoon waterlogging on inadequate drainage capacity, encroached canals, clogged storm drains and rapid urbanisation that has reduced the city's natural water retention areas. Even relatively short periods of intense rainfall frequently overwhelm the capital's drainage system.

The weather office said the rain was triggered by an active monsoon over Bangladesh and adjoining areas. It forecast further spells of rain or thundershowers during the day, accompanied by gusty winds in places, before conditions are expected to improve from Monday as rainfall gradually eases.

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