Low-lying areas of Chittagong city submerged in two-hour rain

Low-lying areas of Chittagong city were submerged within just two hours of rainfall. 

Despite the expenditure of more than Tk5,000 crore on projects aimed at resolving waterlogging, areas including Muradpur, Bahaddarhat, Probartak, Halishahar and Eidgah were inundated following heavy rain. 

Waterlogging occurred across various city roads after only 10 millimetres of rainfall, causing significant hardship for school students, office workers and other residents. 

Bus, CNG and other vehicle services were disrupted, while rickshaw pullers reportedly doubled or tripled their fares.

Several parts of the city, including Probartak More, were left under knee-deep water following a drizzle that began on Tuesday morning. 

The Chief Cleaning Officer of the Chittagong City Corporation, Captain Ikhtiar Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, stated that the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) is currently implementing a waterlogging relief project in the Probartak area. 

He explained that the present waterlogging has resulted from temporary disruption to water flow caused by ongoing development work. Although water accumulates in low-lying zones, it recedes gradually.

According to the Meteorological Office, only 10 millimetres of rainfall was recorded in the city between 9 am and 12 noon on Tuesday. 

Despite the modest amount, this rain led to waterlogging in areas such as Probartak More, Rahmatganj, Katalganj and Muradpur. Pedestrian and vehicular movement has been severely affected, particularly at Probartak More. Local residents have faced extreme difficulties in commuting. 

One job seeker named Nazmul reported that walking had become nearly impossible in the Probartak area due to the flooding. Taking advantage of the situation, rickshaw pullers were reportedly charging Tk50 to Tk60 for journeys that normally cost Tk30.