Heat wave affects normal life in Rajshahi

Drought-like conditions have developed in Rajshahi especially in its vast barind tract in recent days, affecting lives of the inhabitants badly.

According to sources concerned, the ongoing scorching heat and sultry weather have caused acute water crisis in the barind tract comprising 25 upazilas of Rajshahi, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj and thereby is affecting public health.

Besides farming and pisciculture, the extreme sultry weather is also severely affecting the people of other professions, especially labourers.

Local met office on May 21 recorded the season's highest temperature at 37.8 degrees Celsius and the mercury level remains above 36 degrees in most of the days in last two weeks. So far, the local met office recorded only 112.9 millimeters rainfall during the current month.

Meanwhile, doctors at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital advised the people to drink enough water, particularly during the daytime.

Dr Mahbubur Rahman Khan, associate professor of medicine of the college, said children, newborns, elderly people and cardiac patients suffer the most in such weather.

Prof Golam Sabbir Sattar of the geology and mining department of Rajshahi University said common consequences of drought such as desertification, eroding landscapes and less crop growth are occurring due to a lack of water for irrigation purposes. Prof Sabbir said over 13,000 deep tube-wells are being used to extract groundwater every day for farming. Most of the hand-driven tube-wells have become inoperative which is a threat to the residents' lives.