A 'voyage' from Kazipara to Karwan Bazar

As I left home for office this morning, an unwelcoming surprise was waiting for me.

The alleyway from my home to Kazipara's main road -- just a two-minute walk away -- was flooded by knee-deep water.

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I begged at least five rickshaw pullers to take me through the flooded alley for about fifteen minutes, but none responded. It was too risky a business, even for them.

From my experience, I knew I had to take the metro today instead of a CNG-run auto-rickshaw to the office as there would be severe traffic jams on the roads. The metro station is a 7-minute walk from my home.

Stranded and helpless, I was praying for a rescue. And it paid off. Finally, a battery-run rickshaw appeared and graciously agreed to take the voyage through the "unchartered water" full of manholes and potholes.

However, the water was too choppy (high) for his vessel (three-wheeler). Despite all his good intentions, he couldn't ride through the thigh-deep water fearing battery damage.

However, for taka 20, he tried to find a paddle rickshaw to take me to the metro station's entrance.

It took another 20 minutes to wait amidst the thick brown-coloured water till we got lucky. A paddle rickshaw puller agreed to the short 20-metre ride to the station for Tk 30. And he already had another passenger aboard! I had to agree with a smile. I hopped onto the paddle rickshaw from the auto-rickshaw like I had been saved by a brave captain on a rough sea.

The short travel through the flowing water made us feel like we were navigating through rough seas.

Reaching the port, we made a flawless jump to the metro station's stairs after paying the puller Tk 60.

I paid Tk 50 for a half-kilometre rickshaw ride on the flooded streets, but later, the 7-kilometre metro ride from Kazipara to Karwan Bazar cost me just Tk 36.

At last, I arrived at my office safely after an hour of travel, despite being caught off guard by the unexpected double blow in the morning.

The Meteorological Department today recorded 87 millimetres rain between 6:00am and 9:00am and thunderstorm [Kalbaishakhi] at 52 kilometres per hour in Dhaka.