Monsoon rains cause sufferings to commuters

Heavy monsoon rains on Saturday pounded the city, throwing the normal life into a terrible mess and inflicting immense sufferings on commuters, report agencies.
Many roads, lanes and some low-lying areas in the city went under knee-deep water due to the ceaseless rains for several hours since early morning.
The city thoroughfares were inundated as poor drainage system in the capital failed to flush out the rainwater that also contributed to huge traffic jams for hours together on different routes aggravating the public plight further.
Talking to newsmen, a good number of commuters voiced their strong disappointment saying they have to go through such sufferings for a long time even after a brief rainfall as the city's drainage system has been clogged with polythene shopping bags and non-dissolvable materials.
They said the government should take a well-thought-out plan to improve the drainage system and city roads to rid them of the sufferings during monsoon.
"It took me two hours to come to Mouchak from Elephant Road due to severe traffic congestions caused by the rain. The city's traffic turns into a mess even after a brief rain. How long will it continue? Why cannot our city authority take effective measures to improve the situation?" wonders Faisal, a private university student.
Narrating his sufferings on submerged roads, Hasibur Rahman, an IT professional, says the government alongside making flyovers should take steps to improve the city drainage system and roads to save the city from water accumulation.
The city's areas like Malibagh, Mouchak, Moghbazar, Shantinagar, Kakrail, Rampura, Basabo, Goran, Mirpur, Kazipar, Sheorapar, Green Road, Kalyanpur, New Market, Badda, Batara, Azimpur, Dhanmondi, Bakshi Bazar and Lalbagh were hit hard with the rains as in the past.
The residents of Mohammadpur, Town Hall, Asad Gate, Karwan Bazar, Kathalbagan, Green Road, Gulshan, Banani, Motijheel, Nayapaltan, Najirabazar, Bongshal, Armanitola, Chankharpool, Jatrabari, Dhania, Rayerbagh and Sanir Akhara areas also suffered a lot for water logging.
Meanwhile, the Met Office recorded 69 mm of rainfall in Dhaka from 6am to 3pm.
Thousands of commuters were stuck in traffic jams for hours on the waterlogged streets. They had to wade through knee-deep water to reach their destinations amid huge water logging.
The CNG-run auto-rickshaws, taxis and rickshaws that were on the roads braving the rains demanded high fares after the public transport system went out of gear. To make the situation worse, a large number of vehicles went out of service in the rainwater.
Poor people, particularly those living in slums and low laying areas, had been the worst sufferers as the rainwater swamped their shanties.