ROAD TURNS INTO RIVER: Chattogram city experienced heavy rainfall on Sunday, the third consecutive day of downpour, which led to inundation in most areas of the port city. — Focus Bangla 
CHATTOGRAM, Aug 06: Chattogram's key commodity hubs Khatongonj and Chaktai have been hit hard by heavy rain and tidal waters over the last several days, leading to extensive losses for traders and businesses in the area.
Continuous downpour since August 2 has disrupted the normal lives of Chattogram residents for five consecutive days.
Low-lying areas including the business centres at Chaktai, Khatongonj and Asadgonj have become submerged in knee-to-waist-deep water, affecting both the city residents and traders. Major areas of Chattogam port city have been inundated.
Apart from rains, traders said Karnaphuli river's higher-than-usual tidal waters surged into commercial areas causing extensive waterlogging and damage to essential goods stored in warehouses.
The torrential rains and tidal inundation have severely affected the wholesale markets, where thousands of businesses make daily turnovers of Tk 1200-1500 crore.
Commodities such as rice, onions, garlic, lentils, sugar, tea and spices have been among the most impacted as water flooded shops and warehouses. Traders have been forced to raise the height of their doors and take other makeshift measures to prevent water from entering, but the damage was unavoidable.
"The traders are losers due to the tidal surge and rainwater," said Md Mohiuddin, the general secretary of Arothdar Samity of Khatongonj.
Harun Ur Rashid, president of the Chaktai Merchant Association, pointed out the chronic waterlogging problem and the delayed construction of sluice gates by the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) as a major factor contributing to the losses faced by the business community.
Chattogram's largest wholesale commodity market Khatunganj and the biggest rice market Chaktai have a combined total of 3,000 businesses and over 5,000 warehouses. Traders said the losses are yet to be precisely calculated, but it is estimated to amount to Taka several hundred crores.
As the traders struggle to cope with the damage, they appeal for urgent attention from the concerned authorities to resolve the waterlogging issue and complete the crucial sluice gate construction to prevent further losses in the future.
UNB report adds, Patenga Weather Observatory Centre recorded 218 mm of rainfall in 24 hours till 9 am on Sunday.
Bus services have been suspended on most of the routes, forcing the residents to commute on rickshaws, auto-rickshaws, vans and three-wheelers. In some areas people were seen wading through knee to waist-deep water Sunday morning.
The waterlogged areas include Chwakbazar, Dewan Bazar, Khalifa Patti, Muradpur, No 2 Gate, Bohaddarhat, Badurtala, Shulokbohor, Mohammadpur, Kapashgola, Katalganj, Bakolia, Firingibazar, Chandgaon, Agrabad CDA Residential area, Tin Pooler Matha, Riajuddin Bazar, Chaktai-Khatunganj, Kalarpole, Boro Pole, Halisohor and some other areas of the city.
"The rain may continue for three more days till August 9 due to a depression over the Bay", said Ujjal Kanti Das, assistant meteorologist of Patenga Weather Observatory Centre.
Due to the torrential rainfall, there is a possibility of landslides in the district, he said.
The employees of different offices, industries and factories are the worst sufferer as they have to go to their workplaces every day amid the terrible situation.
Meanwhile, the rickshaw pullers and CNG-run auto-rickshaw drivers were seen charging extra fare taking the advantage of the situation.
Md Ishtiak, a resident of Rahattarpool, said "Several thousand families in the area have been reeling under the rain water for the last three days due to waterlogging.
Besides, the ground floors of all the buildings were submerged by rain water, causing immense sufferings to the residents of the area."
Rezaul Karim, a resident of Bakolia, said, "The low-lying areas went under water after a short spell of showers and this year waterlogging has broken all previous records. "So many projects involving huge money were taken to free the city residents from the curse of waterlogging, but to no avail."
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
