United News of Bangladesh

Vehicular movement on one side of the Oxygen-Bayezid road near Oxygen No-2 Gate in Chattogram port city has remained suspended since early Thursday after a culvert near the Cantonment collapsed amid heavy overnight rainfall. The structure gave way around 4:30am on Thursday under the pressure of strong rainwater currents. Locals said vehicles are now navigating the remaining side of the road with considerable risk. The damaged section has been cordoned off with red tape for safety, creating a severe traffic jam on both sides of the road.   Meanwhile, train services on the Chittagong University and Nazirhat routes are also facing disruption following the incident. Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain visited the site at around 10:30am and assured that steps would be taken soon. “We are prioritising the city’s waterlogging issue. Although we have plans to repair all culverts, we are yet to receive the necessary budget from the government,” he said. Stranded by Neglect: Khagrachhari villagers brave crumbling culvert for over a decade

Bandarban district administration has taken necessary measures to prevent any rain-related incidents, including landslide, as the district has been experiencing downpour intermittently since Thursday night under the influence of the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal.    Meanwhile, 220 shelter centres have been opened to accommodate people, said District Disaster and Relief Officer Asif Raihan.   Heavy rainfall, landslides, waterlogging likely parts of country in 48 hrs: BMD Of them, there are 46 in Bandarban Sadar, 28 in Ruma, 19 in Rowangchhari, 15 in Thanchi, 55 in Lama, 15 in Alikadam and 42 in Naikhongchhari. The district administration has opened a control room to help people with the mobile number 01309744923. Those living in hilly pockets have been advised to take shelter at the centers as the administration made publicity through miking in the morning.   Prolonged rainfall causes severe waterlogging in Kurigram A police team led by an additional superintendent of police has been formed to extend support to the people. District police also formed a control room and the mobile phone number 0 1320-110898 to contact them. Meanwhile, vehicular movement on Lama-Alikadam road remained suspended for a while in the morning as a tree fell on it.  

Under the influence of the impending cyclonic storm Dana, coastal district of Satkhira has been experiencing rainfall intermittently since early Thursday. The weather is currently severe, with heavy cloud cover and darkness increasing with the passage of time. Considering the situation, leaves of all government officials and employees have been cancelled. A total of 887 cyclone shelters having capacity of accommodating 443, 000 people have been opened. There are around 700 kilometers of embankments in the district with 5 kilometers considered at risk. Read: Cyclone Dana: Maritime ports asked to hoist local cautionary signal no 3 Efforts to repair the risky dam are ongoing. Essential supplies, including baby food, dry rations, clean drinking water, emergency relief items, and geo-bags, along with boats, have been prepared. Zulfikar Ali, acting officer of Satkhira Meteorological Department, said that this district will experience heavy rainfall due to the cyclone with rising river waters in coastal areas. The cyclone is moving towards neighbouring India's Odisha and West Bengal states and it may not have a severe impact on the district, strong winds are anticipated. Explaining the preparedness, Satkhira Deputy Commissioner Mostak Ahmed said extensive measures have been taken so that people can take refuge at shelter centres.

Dhaka city dwellers experienced heavy rainfall accompanied by lightning and gusty wind on Saturday morning. The low-lying areas in the capital and a number of alleys were inundated due to the rains, making it difficult for people who planned to go out in the morning.Although educational institutions and most of the offices remained closed for Durga Puja holiday the Hindu devotees who went out to visit temples faced trouble due to waterlogged and muddy roads. As some of the private offices remained open, the office goers suffer for lack of transports.The rains triggered by the active monsoon started around 6 am and continued till 7 am.Meteorologist of Bangladesh Meteorological Department Monowar Hossain said 20 mm rain was recorded in Dhaka from 6am Friday to 6 am onSaturday.The rainfall may decrease in 72 hours till Monday and then increase again, he said.

The Meteorological Office has issued a fresh weather update indicating that Dhaka and other regions of Bangladesh are expected to experience continued thunderstorms and rainfall over the next few days. Heavy rainfall has been predicted in several parts of the country, while the southwest monsoon is likely to retreat shortly. According to a Met Office statement, the extended part of the monsoon currently stretches across Assam, passing through Bihar, West Bengal, and the central parts of Bangladesh. The monsoon remains active over the country, contributing to unstable weather conditions in many regions. As per the latest forecast, light to moderate rain, accompanied by gusty winds or thunder, is expected to occur in several locations, including the divisions of Mymensingh and Sylhet. Read: Rains likely to drench country: BMD The divisions of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Khulna, Barisal and Chattogram are also likely to experience rain over the next 24 hours. Besides, some areas might witness moderate to heavy rainfall, which could persist for up to 48 hours. In terms of temperatures, Dhaka and other parts of the country have been experiencing intense daytime heat, with the mercury reaching an average high of 32°C (90°F). On Sunday, Feni recorded the highest temperature in the country at 34.5°C, while the lowest temperature of 23.3°C was observed in Tentulia, Panchagarh on Monday morning. While daytime temperatures are expected to increase slightly across the nation, they are likely to remain stable over the next few days, the Met Office added. As the southwest monsoon is set to withdraw in the coming days, Dhaka is still grappling with heavy rainfall, which has occurred over 18 days this season, accumulating to a total of 328 mm (12.9 inches). Read more: Rain, thundershowers likely over 8 divisions, BMD says The highest rainfall has been recorded in the coastal regions of Chittagong and parts of Sylhet district, whereas western and northern parts of the country have reported lower rainfall figures. Thunderstorms are likely to persist throughout the week, particularly on Tuesday and Wednesday, as per the Met Office’s extended forecast. Cyclonic storms, with wind speeds exceeding 120 km/h, are also common during this period and could pose a threat to coastal areas. Following the departure of the monsoon, weather conditions in Dhaka are expected to stabilise, with a transition to clearer skies and reduced rainfall. However, the weather office has urged residents to remain cautious and updated with the latest weather bulletins due to the unpredictable nature of storms during this season.

Heavy rainfall on Friday afternoon caused severe waterlogging in several parts of capital Dhaka, leading to immense suffering for commuters. Many were seen wading through waterlogged streets in areas such as Mouchak, Malibagh, Shantinagar, Moghbazar, Kakrail, Paltan, Dainik Bangla Intersection, Khilgaon Rail Gate, and Rajarbagh Police Lines as they tried to reach their destinations. Though today is a weekend, those who ventured out for emergency purposes found themselves stuck in severe traffic congestion in various parts of the city. Many were seen waiting for public transport for a long time. Read: DMP to commuters: Be aware of rain-triggered traffic jams The rainwater also seeped into some private vehicles and CNG-run autorickshaws plying the main roads, exacerbating the situation further. Taking advantage of the traffic congestion and waterlogged roads, rickshaw-pullers were reportedly charging higher fares from passengers. Kabir Hossain, a private service holder, shared his experience with UNB, stating that he had been waiting for a vehicle to go to the Dainik Bangla Intersection from Khilgaon Rail Gate for around half an hour, but no public transport was available. "The rickshaw-pullers are charging an extra fare compared to the usual one," he said. Read more: City dwellers suffer amid unusual traffic jams  The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecast rain or thundershowers across all divisions, including Dhaka, in the 24 hours beginning  from 9:00 am on Friday.

The major rivers in north-eastern Bangladesh are currently receding, a trend expected to continue over 24 hours starting from 9 am on Wednesday (June 12, 2024), according to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC). In addition, the Brahmaputra-Jamuna and Ganges-Padma rivers are also experiencing a decline in water levels, which is likely to persist for 48 hours. Flood situation in Sylhet may improve slowly: FFWC Met Office has forecasted medium to heavy rainfall in the northern and adjacent upstream areas of the country over the next 24 to 48 hours. This anticipated rainfall may cause the Teesta, Dharla, and Dudhkumar rivers in the northern region to rise during this period. Residents in the affected areas are advised to stay alert and take necessary precautions as the situation develops. Flash floods likely in country’s northeastern districts: FFWC

Chuadanga district experienced a significant disruption in daily life today (January 18, 2024), as heavy rainfall amidst an ongoing cold wave affected the area. The unexpected weather conditions intensified the hardships already faced by residents due to the cold. The district witnessed heavy rains this morning, which lasted for approximately two and a half hours, exacerbating the impact of the cold wave and paralyzing normal activities. Weather Update: Will it rain in Dhaka? Tahmina Nasrin Anny, a first-class officer at the Chuadanga Observatory Center, reported that the temperature dropped to 11.5 degrees Celsius between 6 am and 9 am, with humidity levels reaching 92 percent.

Waterlogging has become a never-ending problem for the residents of Horijon Polli in Chilmari upazila of Kurigram district, thanks to the lack of adequate measures of the local administration. Some 150 people of 30 families are going through untold suffering due to the waterlogging problem as the whole area has been submerged following the torrential rainfall and onrush of water from the upstream over the last week. Read more: Dhaka city corporations grapple with persistent waterlogging problem on multiple fronts During a recent visit to the Horijon Polli, at Sabujpara under Thanahat union, this correspondent found water all around and the residents of the area were seen fetching safe drinking water and food after wading through waist-deep water. Moni Lal, a local, said the whole area gets inundated even after little rain and residents of the area have been living in such a situation for the past one week. If the water increases further then they have to move to a safer place. Read more:Monsoon coming, no solution to Dhaka’s waterlogging in sight Besides, they did not receive any assistance from the authorities though eight days have passed, claimed the local people. Contacted, Rafiul Alam, Chilmari Upazila Nirbahi Officer, said a list is being prepared and the higher authorities concerned have been informed. Read more: Waterlogging turns severe in Chattogram after heavy rains for 3rd consecutive day

Residents of areas along the Teesta river in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat district are living in fear of losing their homes and crops as erosion has taken a serious turn. Several thousand families living on the riverbanks were facing waterlogging issues due to the torrential rainfall last week. Several hundred hectares of cropland were damaged during this period. But when the floodwater started to recede, panic gripped them as erosion took a serious turn in seven to eight points along the left side of the river. Over the past few days, 25-30 houses, croplands and several establishments were washed away due to the erosion, forcing many families to live under the open sky. Rising river waters trigger flooding, erosion concerns in Kurigram Many have shifted their valuables including furniture on the roadside and near the flood protection dam. Meanwhile, residents of Gobordhan and Garibullatari villages under Mahishkhocha union of the upazila saw severe erosion at the dead night on Tuesday near the embankment. A number of establishments including a mosque have gone into the river. The families of Rabiul, Bhuttu and Yeakub Ali are living under the open sky as their homesteads were washed away due to the erosion. Locals said if the authorities do not take any steps immediately, the embankment would also go into the river. Villagers spend sleepless nights as Madhumati river banks erosion intensifies in Faridpur  They also demanded constructing a permanent dam along the riverbank. Sunil Kumar, executive engineer of Lalmonirhat Water Development Board, said erosion occurred in seven-eight points along the riverbanks while erosion at spur dam-2 took a serious turn. They have informed the matter to the high official concerned, he said. After visiting the affected areas, GR Sarwar, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Aditmari upazila, said a list of affected people is being prepared and assistance will be provided as per the list. Teesta erosion worsens in Kurigram; 50 homes swept away