Dhaka: Though the rain brought some sort of relief after several days of sultry weather, it left the city life in disarray creating traffic chaos and water-logging at many points in the capital on Monday.

Dhaka saw 132 mm of rainfall in 24 hours till 6pm on Monday, said M Aftab Uddin, a meteorologist at Bangladesh Meteorological Department.

He said the city experienced very heavy rain for six hours -- from 12pm to 6pm -- as they recorded 62 mm rains during the period.

"Heavy rainfall may continue in Dhaka city until early hours of Tuesday, and it may be lighter from Tuesday morning," he said.

The heavy rainfall may occur again from Thursday in Dhaka and southern part of the country, the meteorologist added.

Aftab said a moderate heat-wave swept different parts of country, including the capital, from June 7 to 10, hitting the public life hard.

Though the downpour brought relief to city dwellers from heat, they did not get rid of traffic tailbacks as shoppers thronged different markets and shopping malls for shopping ahead of Eid-ul-fitr.

Major city thoroughfares, including Mirpur, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Hatirjheel, Panthapath, Shahbagh, Paltan, Motijheel, Gulshan and Baridhara, Dhanmondi, Banani, Kakrail, Rampura saw serious traffic snarls.

"It took me over two hours to reach Malibagh from Badda as my bus couldn't move due to heavy traffic amid rain. Still, I'm happy as the rain brought relief from the scorching heat," Tanjubul Alam, a student of East West university, told UNB.

"It usually takes me 30-40 minutes by motorbike to reach my office at Gulshan from Sewrapara, but today it took around 1 and a half hours due to rain and huge traffic flow," said a private firm executive.

Talking to UNB, traffic sergeant Mohammad Ali in the city's Shahbagh area said the traffic situation is worsening gradually as the eid is getting nearer. "It's now become very difficult for us to mange the terrific load as people are now on shopping spree."

Another traffic sergeant wishing anonymity said uncontrolled occupation of footpaths on different major roads by hawkers and street vendors, makeshift outlets of different hotels and small traders on the footpaths and streets are contributing to the city's worsening traffic situation.

Huge traffic gridlocks were seen in front of Bashundhara City Shopping Mall, Eastern Plaza, Elephant Road, Bangabazar, New Market, Gausia, Ramna Bhaban, Rapa Plaza, Shimanto Square, Mouchak Market, Jamuna Future Park areas with the rush of shoppers.

Meanwhile, the rain that started on Sunday afternoon and continued till the filing of the report around 6:30pm caused immense sufferings to the city commuters.

Commuters, office-goers and students of schools and colleges and eid shoppers, faced severe difficulties in reaching their destinations for lack of transport and traffic jam.

Many roads got waterlogged due to the rain while rickshaw pullers and CNG drivers were seen demanding extra fares from passengers during the rain intensifying their woes.

According to a Met office special bulletin, rain/thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty/squally wind is likely to occur at most places over Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions and at many places over Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions with heavy to very heavy falls at places over Khulna, Barisal, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Chittagong & Sylhet divisions over the next 24 hours.

Due to very heavy rainfall, it said, landslides may occur at places over the hilly regions of Chittagong and Sylhet divisions.