Published: 09:38 AM, 18 August 2026
Ctg's low-lying areas submerged again after heavy rain
Low-lying areas of Chattogram city were submerged again following continuous moderate to heavy rain since Sunday night, causing severe hardship for residents including commuters and students.
The Chattogram Patenga Meteorological Office recorded 109 millimetres of rainfall from morning until noon on Monday.
The downpour inundated roads and alleys in several parts of the city, with water entering ground-floor homes and business establishments.
In some areas, water rose to knee or waist level, disrupting traffic and making it difficult for people to reach their workplaces and educational institutions.
The situation was created less than a month after similar waterlogging affected the city, raising fresh questions about the effectiveness of ongoing projects aimed at addressing Chattogram's long-standing drainage problems.
Rain that began around 10 pm on Sunday caused waterlogging in Chawkbazar, Bakalia, Katalganj, Panchlaish, Agrabad commercial area, South Halishahar, Pathantuli and Kapasgola, among other low-lying areas.
During a visit to Chawkbazar and Katalganj on Monday morning, waist-deep water was seen covering the roads. Pedestrians were forced to wade through the dirty water while vehicular movement was severely disrupted.
A similar situation prevailed in Muhuripara in Agrabad where waist-deep water entered the ground floors of residential buildings. With vehicles unable to move through the inundated roads, residents had to walk through the water. Many people were seen walking to their destinations amid the rain after failing to find public transport or rickshaws.
Where rickshaws were available, passengers said some drivers were demanding several times the usual fares.
Touhidul Salam, an employee in the Agrabad commercial area, said many roads there become waterlogged even after light rain.
"But the situation has become much worse this time because of the continuous rain since Sunday night," he said, adding that many people had to walk to their offices as vehicles were unavailable and some rickshaw pullers were demanding up to three times the usual fare.
Water accumulated in front of and around several schools, causing difficulties for students and their guardians.
Many students could not attend classes because of transport problems and waterlogged roads while classes were suspended or cancelled at some places. Ismail Mia, an official at the Patenga Meteorological Office, said the rain was caused by a low-pressure area over the sea and the active monsoon."Rain may continue for the next two to three days," he said.
