Searing heat to continue till Thursday

There will be no respite for the people from the sweltering heat for at least two more days as the Met office has said the heatwave will continue till Thursday.

"Currently, the temperature is two to seven degrees Celsius higher than the average temperature of April," said meteorologist Mohammad Abul Kalam Mallik.

Yesterday, the country's highest temperature, 43 degrees Celsius, was recorded in Pabna's Ishwardi upazila, according to Bangladesh Meteorological Department. In Dhaka, the maximum temperature was 38.1 degrees Celsius.

The Met office said a severe heatwave is sweeping the districts of Rajshahi, Pabna, Chuadanga and Kushtia, while the other districts were experiencing mild to moderate heatwave, and it may continue.

However, the weather department predicted rain or thundershowers at one or two places in Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions today.

"Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky in the country. Rain or thundershowers may occur at one or two places in Chattogram and Sylhet divisions," according to a bulletin of Bangladesh Meteorological Department issued at 6:00pm yesterday, which would remain valid for 24 hours.

People have been hit hard across the country in the last few days by the extreme hot and dry weather.

In Chuadanga, the number of patients with heat-related diseases are on rise. Hospitals are struggling to deal with the rush of patients. Many are staying at hospitals' corridors as the beds were not enough to meet their needs.

At least 642 people received treatment for different heat-related diseases in Chuadanga Sadar Hospital over the last one week, according to hospital sources.

"My two-year-old boy is suffering from diarrhoea. We are staying at the hospital's corridor as we could not avail a bed," said Mita Khatun the hospital yesterday.

Dr Khalequzzaman, associate professor at the Department of Public Health and Informatics of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, said hot weather is suitable for the spread of many germs which cause diarrhoeal diseases.

"So, people can get diarrhoeal diseases easily if they do not maintain hygiene like hand washing, drink safe water and eat safe food," he told The Daily Star recently.

A correspondent from Chuadanga contributed to this report.