The heat to continue for a few days
A heat wave has been sweeping the country over the last few days, causing immense hardship to the manual workers, especially the day labourers.
Rajshahi, Jashore and Kushtia regions yesterday experienced a severe heat wave while Dhaka, Mymensingh, Chattogram, Rangpur, Sylhet and Barishal divisions saw a moderate one, according to the Meteorological Department.
The sweltering heat may continue for the next two to three days as there are no chances of rain by this time, meteorologist Bazlur Rashid told this newspaper yesterday.
Sylhet and Mymensingh regions are likely to see rains on April 28 or 29 and other parts including Dhaka on April 30 or May 1, he said.
The country on Sunday saw the highest temperature in the last seven years -- 41.2 degrees Celsius in Jashore.
According to the Met office, yesterday's highest temperature was 39.8 degrees Celsius in Jashore. The peak temperature in Dhaka was 39.4 degrees Celsius.
The scorching heat has added to the sufferings of the day labourers and those who earn a living through manual work.
"I'm finding it very tough to pull my rickshaw in this scorching heat. I have to drink water and take rest every now and then," said Omar Ali, a rickshaw puller in the capital's Farmgate area.
A recent study says Dhaka has witnessed a rise in temperature of almost 3 degrees Celsius in a span of 20 years while the world is fighting to contain the rise in global temperature below 1.5 degrees, according to a study conducted on five major cities in Bangladesh.
Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barishal and Sylhet have also witnessed rise in both day and night temperatures during the period, said the study which surmised that population density, lack of greenery, uneven building heights, and human activities are the main reasons behind the trend.
The study titled "Surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII) in five major cities of Bangladesh: patterns, drivers and trends" was published in the Sustainable Cities and Society Journal of Elsevier on April 16.
Comments