United News of Bangladesh

A light to moderate spell of rain washed over parts of Dhaka on Thursday morning, offering welcome relief to residents weary of the sweltering summer heat. The early showers, lasting around an hour, dampened the capital’s concrete landscape — from high-rise buildings to narrow alleyways — creating a cooler and calmer ambiance across the city. With temperatures dropping slightly and a blanket of grey clouds hanging overhead, many Dhaka residents found momentary solace from the recent oppressive conditions. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) noted that further rainfall is likely later in the day, as the sky remains overcast. Commuters and office-goers navigating the slick roads braced themselves for more showers, while street vendors and pedestrians adjusted their routines in anticipation. Heavy rainfall, landslides, waterlogging likely parts of country in 48 hrs: BMD The BMD, in a bulletin issued on Wednesday, had forecasted light to moderate rain or thundershowers, accompanied by lightning and temporary gusty winds, in most parts of the country including Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions — for Thursday. In some areas, rainfall may intensify to moderately heavy or even very heavy, it warned. This shifting weather pattern is expected to persist over the next two days. The Met Office said that light to moderate rain or thundershowers, combined with gusty winds and lightning, will likely continue in many regions, signalling the gradual transition into the country’s pre-monsoon phase. For many Dhakaites, today’s rain may be a sign of welcome change — not just in temperature, but in mood. After weeks of heat, even an hour of rain can feel like a breath of fresh air.

A relentless spell of early morning rain, fuelled by a low-pressure system extending from West Bengal to the North Bay through south-western Bangladesh, plunged the capital into disarray on Thursday. The rain, which began in the morning, continued for nearly two hours, significantly hampering the morning commute and daily activities in one of the country’s busiest cities. Many office-goers were seen stranded on waterlogged streets, waiting for transport amid the downpour. According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), 20 mm of rainfall was recorded in Dhaka in the morning. Torrential rain disrupts life in Dhaka AKM Nazmul Haque, a meteorologist at BMD, said more rain is likely in Dhaka later in the day, although conditions are expected to improve from Friday. Some districts outside Dhaka may continue to experience showers. While the rain brought temporary relief from the recent spell of scorching heat, it caused immense suffering to commuters and pedestrians alike. Traffic movement were seen to come to a standstill in several parts of the capital due to submerged roads and slow-moving vehicles.

A brief spell of rain coupled with surge in Eid shoppers caused huge traffic gridlock in parts of the capital.  The light rain started at 12:30 pm and lasted for about 30 minutes. Despite its short duration, it worsened traffic condition in different areas, including Shantinagar, Mouchak, Paltan, Malibagh, New Market and Bashundhara where roads were already overwhelmed by Eid shoppers. Commuters were left stranded for hours as a combination of street hawkers encroaching on roads and illegally parked vehicles further exacerbated the gridlock. The congestion was particularly severe near shopping malls where shoppers crowded in preparation for the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr. Despite the presence of traffic police, no effective measures were visible to ease the situation. Bangladesh Meteorological Department on Thursday predicted rains or thunder showers along with lightning flashes accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind in parts of the country. 9-day Eid holiday for govt employees approved It said rain is likely in one or two places over Rajshahi, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and hails at isolated places. Besides, weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country. Meanwhile, a mild heat-wave is sweeping over Rajshahi and Sirajganj districts and it may abate. Day temperature may fall slightly and night temperature may rise slightly over the country.

Heavy monsoon rains on Sunday brought some sort of relief from heat in Dhaka but it caused widespread waterlogging in the capital as usual. As there was a low number of vehicles on the roads due to the ongoing strict lockdown, no traffic jam was there in the city because of waterlogging. The heavy showers that started around 11 am caused waterlogging in areas like Green Road, Tejkunipara, Malibagh, Manik Mia Avenue, Satmasjid Road and Dhanmondi. Those who had to come out of homes to buy essential goods or to meet other emergency causes were seen wading through ankle-to–knee deep water.

Dhaka ranked third worst world cities in the Air Quality Index on Monday morning even though a strong nor’wester, coupled with rains, lashed different parts of the country, including the capital, on Sunday. Dhaka occupied the 3rd position in the list of world cities with the worst air quality. The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded 183 around 09.31 am. Also Read: Dhaka's air quality still 'unhealthy' Nepal’s Kathmandu and Myanmar’s Yangon occupied the first and second slots with AQI scores of 331 and 191 respectively. An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy', particularly for sensitive groups of people like children and elderly population. AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, is used by government agencies to inform people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for them. Meanwhile, a nor’wester, accompanied by rain and gusty wind, swept the capital and other parts of the country on Sunday. Also Read: Dhaka's air 'unhealthy' again as it ranks 2nd in Air Quality At least 12 people were killed in Gaibandha and Faridpur districts during the storm. The tropical storm, the first of the season, also hit the capital around 6:30pm and lasted for a few minutes, according to the Met Office. In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants - Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone. Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution. Its air quality usually improves during monsoon. A report by the Department of Environment (DoE) and the World Bank in March 2019 pointed out that the three main sources of air pollution in Dhaka "are brick kilns, fumes from vehicles and dust from construction sites". Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person’s chances of developing heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.  

Torrential monsoon rain from Sunday midnight to Monday morning has swamped many parts of the capital, disrupting people’s movement and triggering traffic chaos.   According to Bangladesh Meteorological Department, 63mm of rain was recorded in the capital from 6am to 9am. Besides, 19 mm of rain was recorded in the last 24 hours till 6am today, said meteorologist Omar Faruk.