Tk 20 to Cross Floodwaters at Green Road
A waterlogged stretch of Green Road. Photo: Agamir Somoy
“Cross the water for Tk 20! Cross the water for Tk 20!”
The calls could be heard from in front of Ananda Cinema Hall in Farmgate. A short walk down Green Road revealed why. The road from in front of Jahanara Garden to near the Panthapath intersection had gone underwater. No trace of the pedestrian walkway was visible, and no public transport was operating on the flooded stretch.
Very few vehicles were using the submerged road. A CNG-powered auto-rickshaw was seen approaching but broke down after traveling a short distance. The driver then stepped into knee-deep water and tried to push the vehicle forward. On the opposite side of the road, a row of flatbed cycle vans stood waiting. These vans are not normally seen in the area.
The seasonal van drivers repeatedly shouted, “Cross the water for Tk 20! Cross the water for Tk 20!” As soon as four passengers boarded, a van set off through the flooded road. It slowly crossed the knee-deep water and dropped the passengers on the other side before returning with another group.
Van driver Alauddin said rickshaws were no longer operating on the road. Speaking to Agamir Somoy, he said, “Rickshaws are not running through this area now. Laguna vehicles usually operate on this route, but the water has become so deep that they have also stopped. We are taking passengers across the flooded stretch by van and charging Tk 20.”
He said people had no way to cross the road on foot. “That is why we are taking them across by van. From the other side, they can continue to their destinations using other vehicles. It helps the passengers, and we earn some money as well.”
Shakil, who was heading to Bashundhara City, said, “The road is so badly flooded that it is difficult to walk or travel by rickshaw. Rickshaw drivers do not want to use this route either. If I try to walk through the water, I could fall into a hole at any time and lose my life. I can cross safely for Tk 20. It is a good arrangement.”
Rain has continued without interruption since last night. By morning, floodwater had inundated most parts of Dhaka. Water entered shops, business establishments, residential buildings, hostels, and boarding houses.
Amid the situation, the administrator of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) urged residents to remain patient, while the administrator of the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) asked people to report problems to the Quick Response Team. Yet despite those assurances, people in one of Dhaka’s upscale neighborhoods are relying on a Tk 20 ride to cross the floodwaters.
