Torrential rain that lashed the capital since early Monday inundated major commercial hubs including New Market, Fakirapool and Motijheel, forcing traders to scramble to save their goods as knee-deep water flooded shops and brought business to a standstill.

Instead of serving customers, shop owners and employees spent the morning trying to salvage goods from rising floodwaters.

Knee-deep water flooded market corridors, forcing many businesses to keep their shutters closed and bringing commercial activities to a near standstill.

The situation was particularly severe for footpath vendors and businesses operating from low-lying temporary structures, which were quickly submerged as the city's drainage system struggled to cope with the heavy downpour.

Readymade garments, footwear, cosmetics and lightweight electronic goods stored on lower shelves or directly on shop floors were soaked.

Visits to the affected markets from morning until noon revealed traders wading through murky water in a desperate effort to move undamaged goods to higher shelves or other safer locations.

"Water entered my shop before I even had a chance to open the shutter this morning. Everything stored on the lower racks has been soaked. If the rain continues and we don't get enough sunshine to dry the goods, we will suffer huge financial losses," said Mahbubur Rahman, a clothing trader at New Market.

Litton, a footpath vendor , said, “We are helpless. I have been standing in the rain trying to save whatever I can, but the water is not receding. The drains are clogged, and we have no idea when the markets will return to normal," he said.

The waterlogging also spilled onto surrounding roads, disrupting traffic in the Mirpur Road, New Market intersection and Motijheel commercial area.

Several cars and CNG-run autorickshaws broke down after water entered their engines, while pedestrians and office-goers were seen wading through waterlogged streets to reach their destinations.