Scorching weather has gripped the entire country, paralysing normal life and threatening to break temperature records.
Amid the ongoing hot spell, the government on Saturday shut down educational institutions for a week in premonition that mercury could climb to an unbearable level.
At least two people-- one in Chuadanga and the other one in Pabna-- died of the heat stroke.
Besides, hospitals have also been overcrowded with patients, especially senior citizens and children, as they have been suffering badly from ailments like diarrhoea, heart trouble, dysentery, respiratory, etc.
Issuing a three-day nationwide heat alert, Bangladesh Meteorological Department has forecast that the severe heatwave that has been sweeping the country may continue till April-end.
The met office fears that the mercury level might rise further and cross the previous records later today or in next few days.
“We predict the heat wave may continue for the next several days. We request the health authorities concerned alongside the private ones and individuals to be cautious with required preparedness,” senior meteorologist at the met office Abul Kalam Mollik said.
He said the western northwestern region were more exposed to higher temperature and foresaw the coming May to witness several heat waves.
The highest temperature was recorded at 42.6 degrees Celsius in Jashore while 40.4 degrees in Dhaka.
The weather apps have suggested Bangladesh’s temperature could break the past records.
The met office recorded the highest 45.1 degrees Celsius in 1972 in Bangladesh while Dhaka witnessed the record high 42.3 degrees in 1960.
Heat alert issued
Mercury level may break record
People in peril as dengue is staging comeback
Frequent power outages add to plight of people
Amid the sizzling weather, the government ordered closure of all schools, madrasahs and collages for next seven days as the weather office reported a ‘severe heat wave’.
The schools were scheduled to reopen on Sunday after the long vacation for the celebration of the Independence Day, Eid festival and the Bengali New Year since March 26.
Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel said the heat wave warning prompted the government to issue a directive to keep the educational institutions closed until April 27. The National University has also ordered all colleges affiliated with it to remain closed until further notice.
Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan also issued a directive relieving the apex court and High Court judges and lawyers from wearing their traditional black gowns during their court presence.
The Supreme Court administration earlier issued an advisory saying the judges and lawyers in the lower courts, most of which lacked air conditioning facilities, could appear in courts just wearing white shirts and their typical white bands due to scorching summer heat.
A lawyer in a Dhaka court died of heat stroke recently soon after coming out of a courtroom.
Alerting the people to avoid sun, health authorities advised them to drink sufficient water as the number of patients with different temperature related diseases increased and several deaths were reported.
Apart from the heat burn, several-hour load shedding is also adding to the plight of the people.
“Amid the heatwave, frequent power outages at night make our life miserable. We cannot sleep at night due to frequent load shedding,” Anwar Hossain, a resident of Rampura told the Bangladesh Post.
The city people are also in fear as dengue is staging a comeback. As the rooms reflects the heat gathered over the day, people cannot use the mosquito net to save them from mosquito bite. As a result, senior citizens and minors develop various respiratory problems.
Health experts fear that the dengue cases in the country may take a virulent turn this year.
Raising fresh round of alarm, they urge the government for taking appropriate measures in combating the mosquito-borne disease that has claimed at least 20 lives and infected around 1500 people in two and a half month of the current year.
Record shows that 1566 people have been infected with the dengue virus from January 1 to March 18. Of them, 527 became infected in Dhaka while 1039 were infected outside the capital.
About three lakh people were infected last year alone, breaking a 23-year record of patients infected with the virus. The country had a record of 2.5 lakh dengue patients in last 23 years since its outbreak in 2000.
