A severe nor'wester storm on Tuesday afternoon caused major disruption on the Dhaka–Chattogram highway in Sitakunda, Chattogram, as large trees fell across multiple points of the road. Traffic on the Chattogram-bound lane came to a complete halt for about an hour, leaving hundreds of long-distance passengers stranded in a long tailback. The incident occurred near Chhoto Darogahat and the Assistant Commissioner (Land) office area, where heavy rain and strong winds uprooted trees.

According to police and fire service officials, teams from Kumira Highway Police and Sitakunda Fire Service quickly responded to remove the fallen trees. After nearly an hour of work, vehicular movement resumed. The storm also severely disrupted electricity supply in the area, as fallen trees damaged power lines. Repair work was underway to restore power by night.

Local residents said such storms frequently cause similar incidents during the nor'wester season. Authorities stated that they plan to remove risky roadside trees and strengthen rapid response measures to reduce future disruptions.

Heavy rainfall began early Wednesday in Dhaka, disrupting daily life across the capital. The downpour, which started before 6:30 a.m., caused traffic slowdowns and waterlogging in several areas. Commuters, students, and day laborers faced difficulties reaching their destinations, with many taking shelter in nearby shops and buildings. Although the rain brought some relief from heat, it also created significant inconvenience for city residents.

According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, gusty winds and thunderstorms are likely in at least 17 regions, including Dhaka, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Chattogram. Winds from the west or northwest may reach speeds of 45 to 60 kilometers per hour. River ports in these areas have been advised to hoist cautionary signal number one to ensure safe navigation.

The weather office further indicated that conditions may not improve before noon, with thunderstorms and gusty winds expected to persist until at least 1 p.m., particularly in northern, central, and coastal regions.

A sudden hour-long downpour on Tuesday morning caused severe waterlogging across Comilla city, flooding roads, school grounds, and classrooms. At the historic Ishwar Pathsala School exam center, located opposite the Comilla Education Board, SSC examinees were forced to sit for their tests in knee-deep dirty water. Many students’ clothes became wet, and they expressed fear that their answer sheets might get soaked. Teachers also had to stand in water while supervising the exam, as no postponement order was issued.

Parents waiting outside the center voiced anger over the recurring problem, saying the school floods every year after minor rainfall due to poor drainage. The head teacher said the situation was caused by natural factors and that necessary measures were being taken in consultation with the center secretary. Comilla City Corporation’s administrator stated that workers were deployed to clear drains and remove debris to restore water flow. The local weather office recorded 102 millimeters of rainfall and warned of more rain ahead.

Despite the flooding, the district education officer confirmed that the examination was completed on schedule without disruption.

Feni recorded 126 millimeters of rainfall between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, marking the heaviest hourly rainfall of the year. Over the past 24 hours, the district experienced a total of 150 millimeters of rain, leading to widespread waterlogging and public suffering across the city.

Field reports showed that continuous rainfall submerged low-lying roads in several neighborhoods, including Doctorpara, Shahid Shahidullah Kaiser Road, Old Registry Office, Shaheen Academy area, Pathanbari, Nazir Road, Mizan Road, Sadar Hospital intersection, and Petrobangla. Feni Municipality’s executive engineer Zakir Uddin said that slow drainage through canals and drains caused the flooding, and twelve municipal teams were deployed to address the situation.

According to the acting officer of the Feni Meteorological Office, Md. Mojibur Rahman, this was the highest rainfall of the current season, and thunderstorms with rain are likely to continue across the district for the next two to three days.

Two people were killed in separate lightning strikes in Noakhali district on Monday afternoon. The incidents occurred in Kabirhat and Hatiya upazilas. In Kabirhat’s Dhanshalik Union, a nine-year-old boy named Md Ayman died after being struck by lightning while playing in the yard. Locals took him to the upazila health complex, where doctors declared him dead.

In another incident in Hatiya’s Char Ishwar Union, 22-year-old Arafat Hossain died after being struck by lightning while returning home from collecting peanuts in a field. According to family members, he was struck in front of his mother and died on the spot. Hatiya Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Kabir Hossain confirmed one death in the lightning strike.

The deaths occurred amid stormy weather in the region, highlighting the recurring danger of lightning during the pre-monsoon season in coastal areas like Noakhali.

Thakurani Canal, once a vital waterway flowing through wards 3, 4, and 5 of Mongla Port Municipality in Bagerhat, is now facing an existential crisis due to encroachment, landfilling, and pollution. The canal, officially 2.10 kilometers long and 30 to 40 feet wide, has been severely narrowed, with parts buried under multi-story buildings, shops, and permanent structures. Although government records list 31 encroachers, locals claim the actual number is higher, alleging that influential individuals have built illegal structures beyond the official list.

Mongla Citizens’ Society president Nur Alam Sheikh described the canal as the lifeline of Mongla town and warned that the city’s survival is at risk if the canal is not freed from illegal occupation. Upazila Executive Officer Sharmin Akter Sumi stated that verification of documents and boundary demarcation has begun, and visible action against illegal occupiers will follow soon. State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr. Sheikh Faridul Islam reaffirmed the government’s zero-tolerance policy toward encroachment on canals, rivers, and water bodies.

Authorities indicated that enforcement measures are imminent to restore the canal’s natural flow and protect Mongla’s urban environment.

A severe shortage of safe drinking water has hit Ramganj upazila in Lakshmipur, with most deep tube wells failing to pump water due to a prolonged drought and a sharp drop in groundwater levels. Residents and business owners are struggling to meet daily needs, as even previously reliable wells have become nearly inoperative. Many are resorting to installing shallow tube wells or fetching water from distant areas.

Local residents report that the municipal water supply is insufficient to meet demand. Shop owners and households are forced to carry water long distances, while some rely on bottled or pond water, raising health concerns. Schools are also affected, with teachers and students facing acute shortages. The municipal engineer said groundwater levels fell significantly after a December 2023 earthquake, reducing water output and increasing costs.

Authorities are working to address the crisis. A new water plant is under construction in Kazirkhil, expected to ease shortages once operational. Officials from the Department of Public Health Engineering and the upazila administration have pledged urgent action and long-term planning to ensure sustainable water supply.

A severe nor'wester storm struck Brahmanbaria on Tuesday morning, causing extensive damage across several villages in the border upazila of Kasba. The storm partially damaged at least 30 houses and uprooted more than 300 trees. In the Tinlakhpir area, a mobile phone tower collapsed, disrupting mobile and internet services. Strong winds and heavy rainfall accompanied the storm, which also toppled electric poles and left parts of the area without power. No casualties were reported, but residents experienced panic during the storm.

Kasba Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shamimul Islam said that damage assessment is ongoing, with initial reports confirming the destruction of homes, trees, and electric poles. Authorities have cleared fallen trees from roads to restore traffic movement and pledged government assistance for affected residents. Meanwhile, heavy rainfall caused waterlogging in several parts of Brahmanbaria town, severely affecting commuters, including SSC examinees. Locals blamed poor drainage systems for recurring flooding and urged municipal authorities to address the issue.

The storm’s aftermath has disrupted daily life, with restoration of power and communication services underway in affected areas.

Comilla City Corporation was submerged after one and a half hours of rain on Tuesday morning, recording 102 millimeters of rainfall between 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Major roads including Kandirpar, Stadium Road, and Nazrul Avenue went underwater, disrupting daily life and school commutes. Despite being upgraded to a city corporation in 2011, Comilla continues to suffer from severe waterlogging after short spells of rain.

The report notes that successive mayors and administrators have failed to resolve the drainage crisis. Over the past five years, about 1,000 crore taka was spent on road and drain projects, yet many box drains remain incomplete or ineffective. Current administrator Yusuf Molla Tipu, in office for a month, blamed years of corruption and poor oversight, saying he has begun dredging key canals to improve water flow.

Residents and local experts attribute the flooding to unplanned urbanization, blocked drains, and reduced water bodies. They warn that without a comprehensive drainage plan, Comilla’s waterlogging will worsen during future monsoons.

Chattogram experienced severe waterlogging on April 28, 2026, after just 6 millimeters of rainfall, submerging several low-lying areas including Probortok Moor, Muradpur, Bakulia, GEC Moor, and Dewanhat. Roads, homes, and shops were inundated, causing major disruptions for residents, pedestrians, and vehicles. The Patenga weather office reported continued rainfall and warned of possible heavy rain, waterlogging, and landslides over the next four days.

Residents expressed anger, noting that despite multi-billion-taka drainage projects claiming over 90 percent completion, the city still suffers from flooding after light rain. The Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) stated that the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) and the army are implementing the drainage project, with temporary dams placed in several canals for construction work, worsening the situation in affected areas.

CCC Mayor Shahadat Hossain visited flooded zones and urged CDA and the army to remove the dams quickly. CDA Chairman Engineer Nurul Karim said work was planned to finish by May 15 but was delayed by early rainfall. Pumping operations and dam removal have begun to restore water flow and reduce flooding soon.

A 25-kilogram pangas fish caught in the confluence of the Padma and Jamuna rivers was sold for Tk 71,250 at the Daulatdia fish market in Rajbari’s Goalanda upazila. The fish was caught early Tuesday morning by local fisherman Ershad Haldar and his team and later sold through an open auction at Rezaul Mondol’s wholesale shop. Local trader Md. Chandu Molla purchased the fish at Tk 2,800 per kilogram and later sold it in Kushtia’s Poradah area for a small profit.

According to the upazila’s senior fisheries officer Md. Anwarul Islam Pilot, large pangas and other native species are naturally found in the Padma-Jamuna estuary. He emphasized that to sustain fish production, it is essential to stop illegal net use, avoid fishing during breeding seasons, and raise awareness among fishermen.

Officials believe that with proper conservation measures, the chances of catching larger fish in the future will increase.

A severe shortage of drinking water has hit Ramganj upazila in Lakshmipur, where deep tube wells are failing to draw water due to ongoing drought and a sharp drop in groundwater levels. Residents, including business owners, are struggling to obtain safe water, with many resorting to shallow tube wells or carrying water from distant sources. The municipal water plant is unable to meet demand, leaving households and institutions in distress.

Local residents reported that most deep wells have become nonfunctional, forcing them to buy bottled water or use pond water for daily chores. The head teacher of a local primary school said the school’s motor pump has stopped working, while others complained of irregular municipal supply. According to the assistant engineer of Ramganj Municipality, a 2023 earthquake originating in Sirundi village caused the groundwater level to drop significantly, worsening the crisis.

Officials said a new water plant in Kazirkhil area is expected to start operation within a few days, which may ease the shortage. The upazila administration has pledged to coordinate with the public health engineering department to take necessary measures.

In Tangail’s Mirzapur upazila, allegations have surfaced that topsoil from triple-crop farmland is being sold to brick kilns and other sites. For nearly two months, soil has been excavated day and night from cultivable land in three villages of Fatepur Union—Bahonatali, Nishchintapur, and Mushuriaghona—using excavators. The soil is reportedly being transported by trucks to nearby brick kilns. Local residents claim that influential individuals are involved and that soil is being taken even from others’ land without consent.

Officials from the agriculture department have warned that removing the top 15 centimeters of soil will severely reduce fertility, requiring more fertilizer and lowering yields. The Fatepur Union administrator said he had discussed halting the excavation with the assistant commissioner (land). The assistant commissioner, Tarek Aziz, stated that no legal permission had been issued for soil cutting and that investigations and legal action would follow.

The ongoing removal of fertile soil threatens long-term agricultural productivity in the affected villages if not stopped promptly.

A mobile court in Banshkhali upazila of Chattogram fined a brick kiln Tk 200,000 for violating the Brick Manufacturing and Brick Kiln Establishment (Control) Act. The operation took place on Monday at Messrs. Chowdhury Bricks, owned by Saiful Islam, located in Minjiritala under Saral Union Parishad. The court, led by Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Omar Sani Akon, also ordered the destruction of raw bricks found at the site.

Senior Chemist Jannatul Ferdous from the Chattogram District Department of Environment office served as the prosecutor during the mobile court proceedings. The executive magistrate stated that such drives would continue to ensure environmental protection.

The enforcement action highlights ongoing efforts by local authorities to regulate illegal brick kilns and safeguard agricultural land and the environment in the region.

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre has warned that heavy to very heavy rainfall in the haor basin of northeastern Bangladesh could cause flooding in low-lying areas of three districts. The latest forecast, issued on Tuesday, said that water levels in the Surma-Kushiyara and Danu-Baulai rivers have decreased, while the Bhogai-Kangsa river has risen. The rivers are currently flowing below pre-monsoon danger levels.

According to the forecast, heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours in the haor basin and upstream areas has raised the risk of rising water levels. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department and global weather agencies predict continued heavy to very heavy rainfall in the region over the next three days. As a result, water levels in the Surma-Kushiyara, Manu-Khowai, and other rivers in Sylhet, Moulvibazar, and Habiganj districts are expected to rise.

By the third day, the Surma, Kushiyara, Khowai, and Juri rivers may flow above pre-monsoon danger levels, potentially causing flooding in low-lying areas of Sylhet, Moulvibazar, and Habiganj. Water levels in the Danu-Baulai and Bhogai-Kangsa rivers in Netrakona and Kishoreganj may also increase to warning levels.