Schools shut as heatwave turns 'very severe'

A severe heat wave gripping the country has intensified, with temperatures crossing the very severe 42-degree Celsius mark in the western district of Chuadanga and southwestern Jashore on Saturday.
This prompted the authorities to announce school, college and national university closures for seven days to April 27. The decision was made in consideration of the health and safety of students.
Three people have reportedly died from heatstroke and related illnesses in the past 24 hours till Saturday evening. Of them, two died of heat stroke in Chuadanga and Pabna, while an old man died in Dhaka's Motijheel area.
On Saturday, Chuadanga district in western Bangladesh recorded the season's highest temperature of 42.4 degrees Celsius, while the mercury ticked up to 42.6 degrees Celsius in Jashore.
Dhaka experienced a high of 40.4 degrees Celsius.
If the temperature remains between 36 and 37.9 degrees Celsius, it is called a mild heatwave; if it remains between 38 and 39.9 degrees Celsius, it is called a moderate heatwave; and, when the temperature remains between 40 and 41.9 degrees Celsius, it is called severe heat wave.
When the temperature crosses 42 degrees Celsius, it is identified as a very severe heat wave.
The heatwave has blanketed most of the country, bringing unrelenting misery.
With the sun beating down mercilessly, people are finding it difficult to find respite either indoors or outdoors. Working outdoors has become particularly hazardous under these scorching conditions.
Reports describe unrelenting heat since morning in Chuadanga, making daily life unbearable. The intense heat discourages people from venturing out, with the most discomforting period between 9 am and evening.
Similar situations were unfolding in Jessore, where many residents reportedly were avoiding going out between noon and 3 pm to escape the peak heat.
BBC Bangla quoted local journalist Sajed Rahman describing life in Jashore as having come to a standstill due to the oppressive heat.
Sajed Rahman said people were unable to leave their homes between 11 pm and 4 pm due to the heat. "Everyone is trying to finish work before 11 pm and return home," he said.
He added that the Boro paddy harvest is currently underway, with farmers attempting to work in the fields early in the morning before the sun becomes too intense.
The neighbouring district of Chuadanga faces similar challenges. Resident Mahbub Sarker reported that the extreme heat has disrupted daily life. "The heat is unbearable," Sarker said simply.
He explained a particular difficulty for those living in urban areas: taking a bath.
"The water stored in rooftop tanks becomes very hot," he said. "I have to wait for the water in a bucket to cool down for at least an hour or two before it's even bearable to take a bath, and even then it's still very warm."