Staff Reporter :
After days of scorching heat, Dhaka finally received respite in the form of rainfall during the afternoon.
While the rainfall brought relief from the intense heat, it also exacerbated waterlogging issues across the city, severely affecting thousands, particularly those looking forward to celebrating Eid at home.
The reduced city traffic did not alleviate the woes of commuters, who faced shortages in transport availability and exorbitant fares for vehicles including rickshaws and auto-rickshaws.
Ongoing road development projects added to the difficulties, exacerbating water stagnation in various areas.
Waterlogging was reported in several key areas including Dakhsinkhan, Uttara Airport to Kakoli, Mirpur, Shewrapara, Kazipara, Agargaon, Bijoy Sarani, Rampura, Badda, Shyamoli, Manik Mia Avenue, Mouchak, New Market, and Titipara at Kamplapur.
Old town areas such as Siddiquebazar, Agamasih Lane, Sikkatuli Lane, and Nazirabazar under Dhaka North City Corporation and Dhaka South City Corporation were also affected.
The Meteorological Department noted increased monsoon activity over Bangladesh and moderate conditions over the North Bay of Bengal. By afternoon, the skies over Dhaka turned cloudy, followed by a dust storm and drizzle.
The rainfall intensified by 5pm, significantly lowering the temperature and bringing relief from the heatwave.
According to forecasts for Thursday, light to moderate rain or thundershowers are expected across most places in Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chittagong, and Sylhet divisions, with some areas in Dhaka, and isolated occurrences in Rajshahi, Khulna, and Barisal divisions.
Moderate to heavy rainfall is anticipated in specific locations within Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chittagong, and Sylhet divisions.
As of 6am Thursday, Rajshahi recorded the highest temperature nationwide at 38°C over the previous 24 hours, while Thakurgaon registered the lowest temperature at 22.9°C. Tentulia in Panchagarh reported the highest rainfall at 102 mm, followed by Sunamganj with 58 mm.