Rain may decrease in Dhaka city, increase in northern regions

Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has recorded 175 millimetres of rainfall in the capital in 24 hours. This is the highest rainfall in a single day in Dhaka during the current monsoon season. 

At the same time, the country’s second highest rainfall was recorded in Chattogram on Sunday, with 160 millimetres falling there.

The BMD says that the intensity of rain may decrease in the capital on Monday. However, the tendency of rain may increase in Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, and Sylhet regions.

Assistant Meteorologist AKM Nazmul Haque of the BMD said that 175 millimetres of rain fell in Dhaka from 6 pm last Saturday to 6 pm last Sunday. Usually, Dhaka receives an average of about 375 millimetres of rain in July. That means that almost half of the monthly average rainfall has fallen in one day.

According to the BMD, there has been heavy rainfall in the central part of the country due to the influence of the active monsoon wind and the western low pressure. Due to this, Dhaka, Faridpur, Madaripur, and surrounding areas have received heavy to very heavy rainfall in a short period of time. A similar situation is prevailing in Chattogram.

Nazmul Haque said that rain with thunder usually occurs in an isolated manner in April and May. But since the monsoon is active in June and July, the rainfall is much more widespread and almost all areas of a city are covered by it.

However, this is the highest 24-hour rainfall in Dhaka this season, but it is less than some past records. According to the data stored by the BMD, the highest rainfall in a single day in Dhaka was 341 millimetres on September 14, 2004. 

The second highest rainfall of 333 millimetres was on July 28, 2009. In addition, 326 millimetres of rainfall was recorded in a single day in 1956. 

In 2022, 255 millimetres of rainfall occurred in 24 hours due to the impact of Cyclone Sitrang, and 206 millimetres of rainfall occurred on October 1, 2025 due to the impact of cyclones and active monsoon winds.

The BMD said that light to moderate rain or thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds are likely in most places in Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Among them, there is a possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall in some places in Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions.

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said that water was flowing above the danger level at five observation stations of the Sangu and Sunamganj rivers in Bandarban, Kushiyara in Sylhet, and Someshwari in Netrokona on Sunday morning. 

The centre’s forecast said that the water level of some rivers, including Sangu and Matamuhuri in Bandarban, Chattogram, and Cox’s Bazar districts, may gradually decrease in the next 24 hours. This is likely to improve the flood situation in the low-lying areas adjacent to the rivers. The water level of the Muhuri, Feni, Selonia, and Halda rivers in Feni, Chattogram, and Khagrachari districts may cross the danger level at some places in the next 24 to 48 hours.