Heavy rain leaves several DU halls waterlogged, cuts power to 2 women’s dorms

Prolonged rainfall caused severe waterlogging today (12 July) in several residential halls at the University of Dhaka, while electricity supply was suspended in two women’s dormitories, leaving thousands of resident students facing acute hardship.

Waterlogging has also been reported in several parts of the campus, including the area stretching from the Toron Gate to VC Chattar, as well as around the AF Mujibur Rahman Ganit Bhaban, Curzon Hall and the Palashi area.

A visit to different parts of the campus this afternoon revealed the extent of the flooding.

At New Market, water levels ranged from knee-deep to waist-deep from the entrance to the rear of the Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree Hall and Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall.

Both halls remained without electricity, causing severe inconvenience for their female residents.

Tasnim Akter Alif Nabila, vice-president (VP) of the Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall union, told The Business Standard, “There has been no electricity since morning, and our mobile phone batteries are almost drained. If it rains for another two or three hours, water will enter the ground-floor rooms.”

Another resident of the hall, Farzana Rahman Nodi, said the entire premises had been flooded.

“The departmental stores inside the hall are closed due to the flooding, creating a shortage of food. We cannot even leave the hall to stay elsewhere because the road in front of the hall is submerged under waist-deep water. We are facing immense difficulties,” Nodi told The Business Standard.

Meanwhile, visits to Dr Muhammad Shahidullah Hall, Shahid Sergeant Zahurul Huq Hall and Salimullah Muslim Hall found extensive waterlogging on the grounds and internal roads.

At Dr Muhammad Shahidullah Hall, floodwater had also reached the verandas of several ground-floor rooms.

Mohammad Junayed Abrar, a resident of the dorm, told TBS, “The water level in the hall field has risen to chest height. If the rain continues for a while longer, water will enter the ground-floor rooms. The canteen remains operational, but meals are being delivered to the residential buildings.”