Most of the low-lying areas of Chittagong city went under knee-deep to waist-deep water due to incessant rain for over six hours since the morning causing immense misery to the city dwellers. 

Patenga Met Office recorded 69-millimetre rain from 6:00 am to 12:00 noon, said Met Officer Sheikh Farid Ahmed. 

Chawk Bazar, Bakalia, Muradpur, Bahaddarhat, Kapasgola, Badurtola, and at least 13 other areas in the city went under knee-deep to waist-deep water, reports our Chittagong staff correspondent visiting the areas.

Dwellers, commuters and pedestrians in the areas were seen to suffer a lot due to the waterlogging. Filthy water overflowed from roadside drains entered into the houses, shops, shopping malls and other business establishments. 

Drivers of motorised vehicles stopped plying the streets while a few rickshaws were seen to carry people at four to five times higher fare than usual rate.

Ayub Ali, a shopkeeper, was seen to bailout water from his shop at KB Aman Ali Raod in West Bakalia. He said most of the goods including sugar, flour and rice of his shop have been damaged. 

Tapati Das was going to attend her sick father who was admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital. She managed a rickshaw from her residence in front of Teachers’ Training College in Bakalia but on the way at Chawk Bazar Kitchen Market, the puller was compelled to leave her. There was waist-deep water on the road. 

Helpless Tapati took shelter on the first floor of a roadside building. She did not know how long she would have to wait. 

“We elected the present mayor as he promised to address waterlogging in his election manifesto but now we are frustrated to see no improvement of the problem,” she told The Daily Star.

Contacted, Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) AJM Nasir Uddin said it’s not possible to address waterlogging overnight as it is a problem of last 15 to 20 years.

“It’s just second season after my taking over the office,” he said, adding, “I am trying to address the problem.”