A low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal has triggered consecutive days of torrential rainfall, recording 330.58 millimetres of rain in 24 hours, which has severely submerged several low-lying areas of Chattogram and disrupted public life.
The Patenga meteorological office in the city recorded 330.58 millimetres of rain in the 24 hours leading up to 9:00 AM today, July 7. Triggered by a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, the weather office advised the Chattogram Port to keep Local Cautionary Signal No. 3 hoisted. Three consecutive days of heavy rainfall have inundated several low-lying areas of Chattogram, leaving commuters, students, and patients facing severe hardship as knee-deep water submerged major roads across the port city today.
The affected areas, including Muradpur, Bahaddarhat, Chawkbazar, Kapasgola, Katalganj, Rahmatganj, Shulkabahar, Agrabad, and Hamjarbagh, remained completely underwater. Amidst this severe waterlogging, a Facebook post published yesterday on the verified page of the Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) triggered widespread criticism. The post claimed that “due to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s monitoring, Chattogram did not experience any significant waterlogging despite two consecutive days of rainfall.” However, local residents strongly rejected this claim, stating it did not reflect the actual situation on the ground.
Expressing his frustration, Zahid Islam, a resident of Hamjarbagh, said, “Even a small amount of rain causes water to accumulate on the roads and the ground floor of our homes. This is nothing new.” Similarly, Hefazutul Islam, an office worker from Bahaddarhat, described his struggle, saying, “It is extremely difficult to find a rickshaw when the roads are knee-deep in water, and those that are available are charging double the usual fare. Escaping waterlogging now feels like a matter of luck.”
The city corporation’s social media statement drew sharp reactions from netizens as well. A Facebook user named Md Kamrul Hasan Bappa commented, “You’re invited to visit West Nimtala, the Two-Storey Mosque area, and Abdul Latif Road in Ward No. 36.” Another user, Mohammad Rafi, wrote, “Because the canal excavation work remains unfinished, water has inundated the Kazirhat and Kaptai Road junction areas. I’m posting this comment while still sitting in floodwater. Please complete the canal work as soon as possible.” Residents emphasized that despite numerous drainage and flood mitigation projects implemented over the years, many parts of Chattogram continue to suffer severe waterlogging during heavy rainfall and high tide, causing the same disruption every monsoon. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department stated that rainfall is likely to continue across the region due to the low-pressure system, advising residents to remain alert to further waterlogging and the high risk of landslides in the surrounding hill districts.
