Rainfall May Ease After Five Days
Heavy rain began in Dhaka on Thursday afternoon. Photo: Focus Bangla
On the fourth day of Ashar (the first month of the rainy season), heavy monsoon rain began in Dhaka as the afternoon progressed. Although the sky remained partly cloudy since morning, dense black clouds fully covered the city around noon. Heavy rainfall started at approximately 1 pm. Reports also indicated rainfall across most parts of Bangladesh. The Meteorological Office said that rainfall may continue across the country for the next five days.
On Thursday, rain was reported almost simultaneously across multiple areas of Dhaka city, including Ray Shaheb Bazar, Nayabazar, Bangshal, Paltan, Gulistan, Shahbagh, Banglamotor, and Karwan Bazar. Following days of intense heat, temperatures in Dhaka dropped slightly. However, heavy rainfall caused waterlogging in several areas, leading to widespread suffering among street vendors, daily commuters, and pedestrians.
Private sector employee Ashfakur Rahman said he faced severe difficulties after going out during his lunch break and for urgent office work. He reported that no rickshaws or CNG-run auto-rickshaws were available. Even when a few were found, drivers demanded triple fares. As a result, he had to return to the office with wet shoes and clothes, walking through mud.
Street vendors suffered the most due to the rain. Bellal Hossain, who sells clothes on the footpaths of Gulistan, said, “People from affluent backgrounds may enjoy watching rain, but for street vendors, it is a curse. Just when customer traffic peaks in the afternoon, the rain started. While hurriedly covering my goods with plastic sheets, half of my merchandise got wet.”
Pedestrian Sumaiya Akter, who was waiting for a bus at Karwan Bazar, said the sudden rain brought public life to a standstill. She noted that although the heat subsided slightly, people on the roads faced extreme hardship. She especially felt distressed seeing street vendors struggling to save their goods with plastic sheets amid the downpour.
Meteorologist Md. Abdul Hamid Mia said that parts of Dhaka, Rangpur, and other divisions may experience temporary gusty winds and thunderstorms over the next five days. He added that rainfall is likely to gradually decrease after this period.
Earlier, in its 24-hour forecast issued from 9 am, the Meteorological Department said that many areas of Rangpur, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions, along with some places in Rajshahi division, may experience light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty winds and lightning. It also warned that some areas of the country may experience moderate to heavy to very heavy rainfall.
