Heavy rain halts life

Incessant rain, triggered by a depression in the Bay of Bengal, on Sunday paralysed life in the capital and other places of the country as rail, road and ferry communications were disrupted causing untold sufferings to thousands of passengers from Dhaka and other districts. 
Rain water remained stagnant for hours on most of the city streets, bringing traffic almost to a halt in many areas, much to the sufferings of traders, employees of different organisations and pedestrians. 
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority on Saturday evening stopped movement of all water transports until further announcement.

BIWTA joint director (traffic) Saiful Islam told New Age that no launches, steamers and other vessels and water transports would operate until the weather was normal. 
According to flightstats.com, over a dozen of flights were delayed in 12 hours since morning. 
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport director Kazi Iqbal Karim said that none of the flight — both domestic and international — was cancelled but a number of flights were delayed due to the downpour.
Small boats were seen on the city roads in many areas including Mirpur section-10 and Kazipara as major streets went under knee- to waist-deep water, said witnesses.
Water transport services and rail and road communications were disrupted while electricity supply was cut due off amid gusty wind and heavy rains in some areas. 
Shops and stores in the city markets remained closed while classes and examinations at many schools, colleges and private universities were cancelled.
Bangladesh Meteorological Department said that the inclement weather would likely start improving on Sunday morning as land depression weakened.
Meteorologist AKM Nazmul Hoque told New Age that heavy rainfall of 84mm was recorded in Dhaka while the highest 253mm rainfall was recorded in Feni from 6:00am till 3:00pm on Saturday.
In 24 hours on Friday, he said, Dhaka experienced 149mm rainfall while the highest 272mm rainfall was recorded in Gopalganj.
Housewife Nahar Begum, accompanying her old mother and ailing son, left for Khulna from Malibagh in Dhaka in a Sohagh Paribahan bus at 10:00pm on Friday.
Her bus remained stuck at Paturia ferry terminal until 11:00am on Saturday as ferry service was suspended due to gusty wind and heavy rains. 
Later the bus driver decided to go to Khulna via Jamuna Bridge on request of passengers by charging additional fare.
Hundreds of buses on both sides of the River Padma at Paturia and Daulatdia remained stranded following suspension of ferry service from midnight past Friday, sufferers said. 
The rainwater inundated rail lines at Tejgaon and many shops at Karwan Bazar were flooded by rainwater on Saturday afternoon.
Abdul Hannan, proprietor of Shoeber Fabrics at Dhaka New Market, said they had closed their shop at 11:00am on Saturday as rainwater remained stagnant inside the market.
Mosharraf Hossain Mamun, assistant professor of journalism and media studies at Stamford University Bangladesh, said that the chairman of the department cancelled scheduled examinations due to heavy rainfall on Saturday. 
Polashi-Azimpur road went under knee-deep water creating severe sufferings to the commuters. 
A resident of Azimpur government officers’ quarter said that heavy rain created water-stagnation inside the colony where at least two big trees were uprooted.
Rainwater inundated drainage and sewerages in old town of Dhaka, with sewage spreading in the areas.
Presence of people and vehicles are thin on city streets. Malibag, Rajarbag, Mouchak, Shantibag, Gulbag and Mominbag are waterlogged. 
Severe water-logging was created in Kazipara, Mirpur, Dhanmondi Road 27, Farmgate and Indira Road areas.
Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence director general Brigadier General Ali Ahmed Khan said they provided boat service in the capital’s Motijheel, Karwan Bazar and Mirpur areas to serve people marooned in the areas.
Primary school head teacher Nasima Akter Khatun from Kuliarchar in Kishoreganj said that attendance at the school was half on Saturday due to heavy rainfall.
At least two people were electrocuted in the city. The deceased were identified as Nazrul Islam, 50, resident of 130/A Dakkhin Jatrabari and Atiqur Rahman, 13, son of Aiyub Ali of Boro Masjid Lane in Khilgaon.
Nazrul was electrocuted as he his house was electrified because of rainwater. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where doctor declared him dead.
Atiq was electrocuted in front of his house around 3:00pm as a live electric wire came in touch with rainwater. He died at DMCH.
DMCH police post in-charge SI Bacchu Miah confirmed the death news. 
New Age correspondent in Barisal reported that since Friday journey on all coastal routes were suspended. 
New Age correspondent in Munshiganj reported that 3 no platoon at Shimulia under Louhajang upazila went under water about 1:00pm on Saturday amid strong current of the River Padma. 
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation Shimulia terminal manager Gias Uddin Patwary said since Saturday morning all kinds of water transportations on Shimulia-Kathalbari route were shut due to bad weather and strong current. 
Rail communication in Dhaka-Narayanganj and Madhukhali-Shatoir (Rajbari area) sections were suspended as the tracks went under water.
Fallen trees blocked tracks in Jamalpur, Mymensingh, Kishoreganj and Sitakunda areas and delayed train schedules, confirmed railway’s central control room. 
Different trains including Upakul Express on Dhaka-Noakhali, Silk City Express on Dhaka-Rajshahi route and Ekota Express on Dhaka-Dinajpur route left the Kamalapur railway station behind their schedules. 
Egarosindhur Godhuli on Kishoreganj-Dhaka route was running two hours behind its schedule. 
Rajib Nur, a senior journalist, said he was coming from Noakhali by Upukul Express, which stopped at Airport and Cantonment stations for an hour without showing any reason. 
Bangladesh Railway general manager (east) Abdul Hai told New Age that when the water would get down, the train movement would become normal. 
Incessant rain caused potholes on highways and roads which triggered congestion while at many places vehicles, especially goods-laden ones, fell into potholes and blocked the roads. 
Students, who set for the admission test at Rajshahi University set for today, were among the worst sufferers. 
New Age correspondent in Tangail reported that since Friday night vehicles were moving at snail’s pace on Dhaka-Tangail highway. 
Gorai Highway Police officer-in-charge Khalilur Rahman Patwary said the congestion was severe on the Gorai-Elenga portion due to rain as it developed numerous potholes on the highway. 
The ongoing construction work of four-lane on Tangail highway made the situation complex, he said. 
Mohammad Abul Kalam, Mohakhali bus terminal owners’ association leader, alleged that most of their buses in northern and middle parts of the country were yet to return to Dhaka. 
‘Our buses started from Rajshahi at 11:300am on Friday which are still stuck at different places like Jamuna Bridge, Tangail, Shafipur and Chandra points,’ he claimed. 
Some buses tried to reach Dhaka using Dhaka-Mymensingh highway but stuck at Salna, he said. 
At Konabari, a gas line blasted around 2:00pm and the authorities closed the road there following the blast, he added. 
New Age correspondent in Chittagong reported that water-stagnation caused by heavy rain and high tide in Chittagong, which brought untold sufferings to the people on Saturday. 
Around 20 lakh residents of Agrabad, Hazi Para, Bepari Para, Goshaildanga and Halishahar, Bakalia, Badurtala, Kapashgola, Bahaddarhat, Muradpur, Chandgoan and other areas were marooned by rainwater.
New Age correspondents in Jhenidah and Lalmonirhat reported that heavy rains damaged the standing Aman rice in many areas of the districts.
New Age Correspondent in Noakhali reported that a woman named Rokeya Begum, 24, was killed being washed away by tidal water at village Muchapur at Companiganj.
The tidal surge also inundated seven villages in the district on Saturday.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net