IN whatever way poets look at it, rain in our city only adds to our miseries. Currently we are in the grip of continuous downpour. Depending on its volume, rain causes disruptions in our normal life, restricts our movements and affects our work, disrupts the supply chain for daily necessities and pushes up prices of many essentials. Although nature is refreshed by rain and we love rain for several reasons, difficulties brought by rain are at times unbearable. Rain during the weekend is tolerable, but rain on weekday only brings additional sufferings for city dwellers. In fact, rain has become a synonym for sufferings for the commuters in Dhaka city. Especially women and school-going children are the worst sufferers. Broken and dilapidated roads of Dhaka city only increase the extent of our difficulties. Public transports like buses become scarce and alternative modes of transports like cycle rickshaws and CNG-driven three-wheelers ask additional fares. Particularly the rickshaw-pullers cannot be blamed for charging higher fares as for them it is more difficult to pedal on roads during rains. If the roads were in a good condition, rickshaw-pullers were not required to labour so much. The city corporations and road authorities should not undertake road repair work during the monsoon as it only makes driving increasingly difficult for vehicle drivers. A little more care on the part of the city corporations will help reduce the sufferings of all.
Masud Rana
Dhanmondi
Dhaka
