Weekend downpour waterlogs Dhaka roads for hours

“It hasn’t started raining heavily yet, but the rain will slowly increase during the monsoon,” says a meteorologist

Rain has poured down on Dhaka on Friday, the first day of the weekend.

The shower led to waterlogging in different parts of the capital, including the Prime Minister’s Office and the Jahangir Gate area for around three hours from 3pm on Friday.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) recorded around 43mm of rain across Dhaka over the period.

The northwestern seasonal monsoon wind has brought rain to the capital and several other parts of the country. After days of sweltering summer heat, the coming rainy season is making itself known.

Though the Bengali month of Asharh – the start of the monsoon season – is still a couple of days away, the monsoon wind’s impact has become apparent.

Meteorologist AKM Nazmul Hoque said, “There has been rain in the capital due to the influence of the monsoon winds. Light to moderate rain is currently falling in some places. It hasn’t started raining heavily yet, but the rain will slowly increase during the monsoon.”

The highest rainfall in the country over the past 24 hours was 78mm in Feni.

In Saturday's forecast, the BMD said that many areas in the Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chattogram, Barishal and Sylhet divisions and some places in the Dhaka, Rajshahi and Khulna divisions may see light to moderate rain or thunderstorms accompanied by temporary gusty winds and lightning.

Moderately heavy to heavy rain may also occur in some places.