Unlike humans, who can employ different methods to handle high temperatures, stray animals such as dogs and cats find it challenging to endure extreme heat.
As the whole country bakes in intense heat, some DU students have come forward to address the plight of these animals. Students living near and far from the campus have stepped up to offer these animals water, recognizing their distress.
"While we humans can purchase water from stores or vendors, dogs and cats lack this ability," said Shiny Alam Chowdhury, a volunteer from Animal Welfare Team of Dhaka University.
Another volunteer, Mishkatul Mashiyat, said: "Our focus is on offering water at locations where dogs and cats tend to gather on the campus."
They are also mindful of preventing Aedes mosquito breeding and the spread of dengue and so they try to regularly change the water in containers.
They engage in these actions entirely at their own expense.
They hope that the university authorities will take measures in this regard, and they urge students residing in the dormitories to change the water every few days.
DU students are not alone in this endeavour. Numerous other student teams across the country are also engaged in initiatives for the well-being of animals and birds.
At Jahangirnagar University, Pother Pran, a student organization, is also dedicated to this cause. It has kept water containers in different locations across the campus.
Volunteers said during summer, various animals also experienced dehydration. As such, it was their moral obligation to ease their suffering as much as possible.
The organization had previously provided food to animals during Ramadan.
Lulu Marjan Dina, a member of the organization, said: "During the university closure for Ramadan, when food shortages for dogs and cats were evident, we made arrangements to provide them with food.
“When the university reopened and the heatwave swept across the country, we thought that we were not the only ones suffering; animals and birds were also enduring hardships and thirst. We thought about what we could do to alleviate their suffering. Subsequently, we placed water containers at eight locations on the campus to ensure that the animals could access water."
Meanwhile, in Narayanganj, a group of volunteers known as Team Khorshed is dedicated to assisting not only dogs and cats but also humans.
Makshudul Alam Khandkar Khorshed, their leader and a councillor at the Narayanganj City Corporation, said since the onset of the heatwave, Team Khorshed had been providing water, cucumbers and caps to rickshaw pullers at key locations across the city.
“We have also placed water containers for animals, particularly dogs, cats and birds."
Rana Mujib, a member of Team Khorshed, said: "The intense heat has disrupted public life, and we have been distributing clean water, cucumbers and caps among the working population.
"... we have installed water bowls for street dogs and cats and also placed containers in trees for the birds to alleviate their thirst during this heatwave. Team Khorshed remains committed to carrying out such initiatives."