Rain submerges Mohammadpur Krishi Market, damaging staples

Heavy rain has flooded Mohammadpur Krishi Market in Dhaka, damaging hundreds of sacks of rice, lentils, and sugar.

Continuous rain for six hours inundated various areas in the capital, including the market, on Friday.

Traders, who faced a similar situation last year, had raised the market's entrance and front portions, but these measures proved ineffective as the market remains lower than the surrounding streets.

Around 200 wholesale shops operate in the market, with over 100 shops experiencing varying degrees of damage to their rice, lentils, and sugar, according to Monirul Islam Montu, general secretary of the Rice Wholesalers Association at the market.

"The exact extent of the damage is yet to be determined, but initial estimates suggest losses amounting to Tk 900,000 to 1 million. Not just the agricultural market, but many nearby homes and streets have also been submerged," he added.

Manoranjan Basak, owner of M/S Lakshmi Enterprise, said: "We are in great distress. Even a little rain causes water to enter. The lower two or three rows of sacks in each column get wet."

Md Yasin of Mahanagar Enterprise said, "At least 300 sacks have been damaged. Any profit we make is wiped out by the rain."

Md Motiur Rahman, owner of Ashraf Enterprise, reported losses of "almost Tk 200,000 worth" of rice.

Despite some improvements after last year's significant damage, necessary upgrades were still lacking, he said.

Zillal Hossain, a seller at Barishal Rice Agency, said: "The market needs to be elevated. Over 5,000 sacks have been submerged.”

“Those completely soaked cannot be stored for even a day, as the rice gets completely ruined."

The Met office recorded 130 mm of rainfall in Dhaka from 6am to 12pm on Friday.

Traders blamed the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority, or WASA, and the city corporation for their plight.

"Due to their negligence, traders are suffering. If the city corporation had raised the inner market roads and expanded and maintained the drainage lines, this disaster could have been avoided," said Monirul.

He said State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam had promised to fix the drainage system, but there has been no follow-up.