Where are the summer lovers now?

Every winter, a certain species re-emerges — let's call them the Summer Sentimentalists. They show up like New Year's resolutions: full of grand declarations but barely making it past February. You've seen them. Heard them. Probably muted them on social media. Wrapped in oversized hoodies while sipping overpriced hot chocolate, they post things like, "I miss the warmth of summer," or "I just want to feel the sun again."

Well, guess what? Summer is here.

And Dhaka — this summer isn't just hot — it's being cooked. Not metaphorically, not poetically — literally. With temperatures steadily hitting 38-40°C and humidity smacking you in the face, stepping out at 3 PM now feels like entering a malfunctioning sauna that charges you extra even for breathing. Office-goers look like they've run marathons, and schoolchildren resemble survivors of some science experiment involving lava.

The air no longer moves — it hovers. And the sun? It doesn't shine. It taunts, harasses, and assaults. Less "Hello, sunshine" and more "Kneel before me, mortals" kind of attitude these days.

The dust sticks. The sweat stings. The overhead fans are basically decorative at this point.

And the biggest betrayal of all? Power cuts. In 2025. During heatwaves. Let that sink in — though nothing sinks anymore except morale. And this is practically the new normal. Some days feel like 46°C in Dhaka, unless a moody cloud gets emotional and decides to cry over Mohammadpur.

Basically, the city has transformed into a full-fledged urban heat island — thanks to our unholy alliance with carbon emissions and concrete jungles. Even the crows — nature's most shameless noisemakers — have fallen ominously silent in this heat. You know it's hot when the crows go quiet.

Interestingly enough, another species has gone quiet — the one I was talking about in the first place.

Yes, the Summer Sentimentalists. Remember them? The sun-craving poets of January?

They've vanished faster than a Wi-Fi signal during load-shedding.

No more sun-drenched Instagram stories with Coldplay in the background. No more tweets romanticising the smell of sunscreen and mangoes. These once-vocal admirers of vitamin D have gone radio silent — probably lying face-down in air-conditioned rooms, regretting every word they ever said about "missing summer."

To track the current activity of this curious species, we conducted a quick lifestyle census (we cornered some sweaty pedestrians). It revealed the new migration map of the former summer enthusiasts!

We found that a large group of them are now air-conditioned mall hoppers, suspiciously lingering in shopping centres — not buying, just breathing. Another group has turned into amphibians, living in buckets or under showers. They now prefer water to emotions.

Still, there are some flat-out denialists. "It's not that bad," claims Ismot, who prefers not to go out because he might faint in this heat.

Now the question is, dear denialists, if you truly love summer, why are you hiding behind your double-glazed windows and quietly deleting those "I love summer" Instagram posts from 2019?

Go out. Bathe in the sun. Show your love for the season — if you dare!

Meanwhile, the brave few — the delivery riders, street vendors, and rickshaw pullers — are carrying the city on their sunburnt shoulders. Let's be honest, they are the true summer warriors.

So, if you're still claiming you're a summer person, it's time to prove it. Go out, touch some sunlight, and take a walk from Farmgate to Shahbagh at 1 PM. Then come back and tell us how romantic the heat felt on your third-degree tan.

Because this isn't Tuscany. This is Tejgaon in May.

And no, we don't want to see you reposting some reel with "Summer breeze makes me feel fine…" while sitting next to a table fan the size of a UFO.

Sure, we still have mangoes, sugarcane juice, and the occasional unexpected evening rain that feels like nature's apology letter. But let's be real — the season has changed. Summer in Dhaka is no longer a mood. It's apocalyptic!

So, to all the summer lovers out there: Either come out and own it, or stop posting mango-filtered lies. We see your thermostat! It's set to "Antarctica," and we're not fooled!