Heavy Rain Causes Severe Waterlogging in Newmarket Area

Continuous rain for several hours since morning has submerged the Newmarket area, which is surrounded by business establishments in the capital. The lack of a proper drainage system has resulted in rainwater accumulating on the road from Science Laboratory Junction to Neelkhet, causing significant distress to the traders, especially those in the relatively low-lying Dhanmondi Hawkers Market.

As the rain continued, water from the overflowing road entered the market, soaking sarees, clothes, books, and jewelry kept in the shops. Traders have reported losses amounting to several crores of rupees due to the damage caused by the water.

A visit to the area on Friday afternoon (July 12) revealed that not only Newmarket but also the adjacent Dhanmondi Nayem Road, the residential area of Dhaka College, and the area adjacent to Azimpur Cemetery are still knee-deep in water. Most shops in these areas remain closed, and rickshaws are the primary mode of transport for those who need to venture out. Waterlogged streets and alleys have forced residents to use rickshaws or vans even for short distances. Businessmen are particularly affected, with water entering most ground-floor shops.

Arif Howladar, a businessman, said, "I did not realize that it would rain so much suddenly. I woke up in the morning and saw this situation. I quickly came to the store and managed to remove some items, but most of them got wet and spoiled."

Shakeel, a shop employee, mentioned that most of the clothes kept under the shop were wet. "All clothes should be taken to the roof of the house to dry. The water has not receded yet. We will be able to assess the damage further once the water level drops."

Asif Billah, another businessman, added, "The items I left on the pavement outside last night are all wet. We have suffered a great loss. They cannot be fixed even by drying them in the sun. I don't know what to do now."

Dr. Dewan Aminul Islam Shaheen, President of the Newmarket Business Association, stated, "There is now one foot of water inside all the shops. Books, clothes, souvenirs, and jewelry are all soaked in water. We have suffered a huge loss, which cannot be quantified. The boards used for shop decoration need to be replaced if they get even slightly wet. Today, those boards and accessories have been soaking in water for a long time. We will be able to fully assess the damage once the water recedes."

Shaheen also highlighted the issue of blocked drains due to the careless disposal of plastic waste. "The market drains are cleaned every Tuesday, but people still throw bottles, plastic cups, and polythene, causing blockages. While it is easy to blame the government and the city corporation, we need to review our own actions. We will continue to face such situations until we become more aware. The losses we have suffered cannot be expressed in monetary terms. It will take a few days to overcome this condition. Additional pumps have been operated to drain the water inside the market."

The Meteorological Office reported 130 mm of rain in Dhaka in the six hours from 6 am to 12 pm, the highest recorded in this monsoon season. The previous highest was 224 mm on May 27, influenced by Cyclone Remal during the pre-monsoon period.