REGIONAL DESK — Torrential rains returned to hit Chittagong hard on Sunday morning, causing widespread waterlogging across key city areas and heavily disrupting daily life on the first working day of the week.

The intense deluge forced several educational institutions to suspend ongoing examinations and regular classroom activities.

According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), the port city recorded an intense 129 mm of rainfall in just 12 hours ending at 9:00 AM on Sunday.

Commuter Hardships and Transport Crisis

By Sunday morning, crucial city stretches, including the Ispahani Sea-Gate area and Katalganj, were submerged under knee-deep water. Motorists struggled to navigate the flooded streets, while office-goers—clutching umbrellas and wearing raincoats—faced a miserable morning commute.

The severe flooding triggered an acute shortage of rickshaws and CNG-run autorickshaws across the metropolitan area. Commuters alleged that the few transport operators available on the roads took advantage of the situation by demanding exorbitant, inflated fares.

Meteorological Insights and Landslide Alert

Mahmudul Alam, an official from the Chittagong Meteorological Office, confirmed that the total rainfall recorded over the 24-hour period until 9:00 AM on Sunday reached 136.8 mm, with a staggering 129 mm falling in the latter 12 hours alone. He also warned that the rain is likely to persist for another two to three days.

The Met Office attributed this relentless spell to an active monsoon over the region. Weather officials have warned that heavy to very heavy rainfall will likely continue, raising concerns about acute water logging in low-lying urban areas and a heightened risk of landslides in the surrounding hilly terrains.

Chittagong has been battling continuous rainfall for over a week. Just last Tuesday, the port city witnessed its highest single-day July rainfall in 43 years.

That record-breaking downpour inundated massive commercial and residential hubs—including Agrabad, Halishahar, Bakalia, Chandgaon, Chawkbazar, Katalganj, and Patenga—forcing water into houses and businesses.

Although the floodwaters had receded over the last two days due to a brief pause in precipitation, Sunday’s fresh cloudburst has renewed fears of a prolonged urban waterlogging crisis.