KHULNA, Sept 15, 2024 (BSS) - Incessant torrential rains starting early Saturday waterlogged nearly two-thirds of the city, paralysing city life and causing immense suffering to city dwellers.

According to local met office, 109-millimetre rainfall was recorded in the city in the last 33 hours till 3pm today (Sunday). 

"It rained 109mm in the last 33 hours, including 45mm in last nine hours between 6:00am and 3:00pm today," said Md Amirul Azad, senior meteorologist at the Khulna Meteorological Office. 

Situation is likely to improve from tomorrow, according to the weather forecast, he said, adding that cautionary signal No. 3 has been hoisted at Mongla Sea Port.  

Many areas of the city including KDA Avenue, Khanjahan Ali Road, Lower Jashore Road, Rupsha Strand Road, Sher-e-Bangla Road, Tutpara, Khalishpur, Daulatpur and many low-lying areas have already gone under knee-deep water and vehicular movements in these areas have been severely hampered.

Visiting the areas at 10am, this reporter found that rainwater was flooding kitchen markets, slums and ground floors of most buildings and markets. 

Many human haulers, battery run easy-bikes and rickshaw were found stranded on waterlogged roads while office-goers were seen struggling to find transport. Day-laborers and low-income residents faced significant difficulties in getting work due to the inclement weather. 

Residents blame the negligence of ex-mayor of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Talukder Abdul Khaleque for the water-logging in the city that has been recurring every year.

Md Faruqul Islam, head teacher of Government Iqbal Nagar Girls High School expressed his frustration saying that ex-mayor of KCC Talukder Abdul Khaleque turned a blind eye to the city's water-logging problem. In the last 16 years, KCC spent huge money on excavating canals, but if the work was conducted properly then city dwellers would not have to face this, he said while making his way through knee-deep water in Jashore Road area. 

Talking to BSS, Moshiuzzaman Khan, Chief Engineer of KCC, said over the past six years, KCC has rebuilt 104 drains, renovated 32 others, and has been excavating the Mayur river and seven canals in the city, spending Tk 502 crore. According to KCC sources, a Taka 823 crore project to develop Khulna city's drainage system and mitigation of water logging was approved by ECNEC in July 2018. Work on the project's first phase began in October 2020.

Construction of Khanjahan Ali road’s outlet, pump houses, sluice gates and dredging of Rupsha river as solution of water logging problem is difficult, he said, adding that tender for building pump houses has already been called.

Talking to BSS, Sheikh Ashrafuzzaman, president of Khulna Unnayan Sangram Samonnay Committee said the issue of water-logging cannot be mitigated without coordinated efforts among Khulna Water Supply and Sewerage Authority, Khulna Development Authority, Khulna Metropolitan Police, citizen organisations, city dwellers and KCC.