Most districts of the country passed the hottest day of the year on Friday when humans as well as other living beings were severely affected by a nagging heatwave, which has been persistent for two weeks and is here to stay for several more days.
The lack of rain and a humidity of 15% made things worse for the people who were working under the open sky or commuting for various reasons before sunset, especially the fasting Muslims, and those who were outside home to celebrate Pohela Boishakh.
In the last few days, many people, mainly children, fell sick and required medical attention due to dehydration, fever and heatstroke.
Meanwhile, due to the excessive heat, the sale and usage of air conditioners, umbrellas, sunglasses and sunscreen lotions have increased significantly. Intake of fresh and artificial juice has also risen.
Temperature falls with the sunset does not bring any significant relief as it still feels like slight burns.
With the temperature rise, electricity demand has also increased and day-to-day activities are being severely impacted. City dwellers, especially pedestrians, low-income people and students are easily exhausted when outdoors due to the excessive heat.
The heat is so unbearable that people are forced to stay home or inside a building or take shelter under shade during the daytime. Many stray dogs, cats and birds were seen staying close to water sources for relief from the heat.
Experts blame unplanned high-rise buildings, land-filling, heavy traffic emissions, overuse of air conditioners and fossil fuels, air pollution and a lack of greenery for the capital's temperatures to remain high this season.
What happened on Friday
The Met Office on Friday predicted that the temperature will rise and the heatwave to continue for another four days in the Khulna division, mainly in Chuadanga -- a district close to the Tropic of Cancer -- which registered the country's highest at 41.7 degrees.
It says a trough of low lies over West Bengal and adjoining areas while a seasonal low lies over the South Bay, but there is no rain or thunderstorm in view in the next 24 hours. Thus, an absence of seasonal winds is causing the unbearable heatwave.
The temperature of two districts of Dhaka and Rajshahi and one in the Barisal divisions was also above 40 degrees, while megacity Dhaka registered 40.2 degrees with a humidity of 28% and a wind speed of only 8-12kph and Faridpur 41.1 degrees.
Ishwardi recorded 40.8 degrees and Rajshahi 40.6, and Patuakhali under the Barisal division 40 degrees.
The highest temperature of only three districts in the Rangpur division out of around four dozen was below 36 degrees (Panchagarh 35.3, Nilphamari 35 and Kurigram 35).
The other districts that experienced hot weather are Rangamati 39.8, Bandarban 39.6, Barisal 39.5, Srimangal 38.9, Chittagong 37.7, Mymensingh and Netrakona 37.5, and Sylhet 36.2 degrees Celcius.
April: A month of records
Apart from Chuadanga, five other districts in Khulna also experienced a severe heatwave (more than 40 degrees Celcius) on Friday: Bagerhat 41.2 degrees, Jessore 40.8, Khulna 40.5, Kushtia 40.5 and Satkhira 40.1.
The country's highest temperature was recorded at 45.1 degrees in Rajshahi on May 30, 1972.
Khulna is the most affected division that has seen the record highest temperature in the country for decades, with Jessore at 42.4 degrees and Chuadanga at 42 degrees on April 24, 2014. Dhaka's highest temperature was 40.7 degrees, or the maximum in 54 years (42.3 degrees on April 30, 1960).
Chuadanga recorded the highest temperature on Friday, for the 13th consecutive day since April 2 when it was 33.4 degrees.
On Thursday, Chuadanga's highest temperature was 41 degrees Celcius, the highest for the 12th consecutive day and Dhaka's 39.5 degrees, the highest this season.
On Wednesday, the country's maximum temperature was recorded at 39.7 degrees in Chuadanga with no rainfall across the country during the last 24 hours.
Chuadanga also recorded the highest temperature of 39.1 degrees alongside Ishwardy in 1995. It remained the hottest day among all districts till 2012, according to the Met Office.
Worse situation ahead
Chuadanga may experience a rise in temperature to 44 degrees Celcius till April 18 before a slide to 40 degrees on April 22, according to the monitoring website, Weather.com.
On the other hand, Dhaka may see the highest temperature of 41 degrees on April 18-20 and the first rain in a few weeks on April 22.
“There is no possibility of rain for now. As a result, this temperature will increase further. The intense heatwave started from Thursday,” Jaminur Rahman, in charge of Chuadanga Weather Observatory, was quoted as saying by UNB.
Usually, the temperature in March and April is higher than normal as Chuadanga is close to the Tropic of Cancer. “The average temperature rose in March due to lack of adequate rainfall this year,” he added.
Friday evening's Met Office bulletin says the weather may remain dry with a temporary partly cloudy sky over the country over the next 24 hours. The temperature may come down to a tolerable level at the end of the month or only after an incessant rain amid a thundershower.
