By Anisur Rahman & Morshadur Rahman

DHAKA, April 27, 2024 (BSS) - The met office today expressed fear that the country's highest temperature could break all time record next month after witnessing the longest duration of a heatwave covering all corners of Bangladesh.

"Our mathematical model analysis suggests despite some expected rainfall in parts of the country in the first week of the coming month, the country may witness the all time record temperature in May," meteorologist Kazi Zebunnesa told BSS.

 She said the northeastern Sylhet region, parts of central Bangladesh and southeastern Chattogram region was likely to witness some welcome shower but it would unlikely reduce the much expected heatwave throughout the country.

The country witnessed the longest duration of the heatwave for the past 25 days since April 1 and the met office warned the phenomenon would continue throughout the next month.

"But unlike the previous heatwaves, this year it spread all over the country," commented meteorologist Abul Kalam Mollik, who was supported by Zebunnesa as well.

Visibly for the first time the meteorologists acknowledged that the climate change phenomenon caused the erratic weather pattern with gradually expanding areas of heatwave, joining the voice with the climate experts and activists.

They said the heatwave also affected most parts of South Asia and partly East Asia with countries like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Thailand the Philippines and Vietnam.

According to the latest met office bulletin issued at 3 pm, the highest temperature was recorded at 42.6 degrees Celsius in Chuadanga, a day after Jashore recorded the year's highest temperature at 42.7 degrees Celsius.

The temperature in Dhaka was recorded at 37.4 degrees Celsius but the high humidity has exposed the residents to massive discomfort.

"A very severe heat wave is sweeping over the districts of Rajshahi, Chuadanga & Pabna and severe heat wave is sweeping over the districts of Tangail, Bogura, Bagerhat, Jashore & Kushtia," the bulletin read.

It said mild to moderate heat wave is sweeping over rest parts of Dhaka, Rajshahi and Khulna divisions and the divisions of Rangpur, Mymensingh and Barishal and the districts of Moulvibazar, Rangamati, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni and Bandarban and "it may continue".

April is typically hot in Bangladesh as it is in other South and Southeast Asian countries, but according to meteorologists, temperatures this month have been unusually high which was highlighted by international media outlets as well.

According to the New York Times, hundreds of millions of people in South and Southeast Asia were suffering from a grueling heatwave that has forced schools to close, disrupted agriculture, and raised the risk of heat strokes and other health complications.

The recent report also specially acknowledged the Bangladesh scenario saying temperature in some areas soared above 42 degrees Celsius but the "numbers don't quite capture how extreme humidity makes the heat feel even worse".

The schools across the country were closed due to the extreme weather but students are struggling to or doing anything at home as well.

"I don't feel like studying or doing anything . . . Can't concentrate on my home study," a class 7 student, Ayazur Rahman, said.

The situation exposed housewives and women to extreme miseries particularly in regard to cooking with one of them saying "my head starts spinning, I feel like I will fall to the ground whenever I go near the stove".

The heatwave prompted thousands of people to gather in city mosques having air condition facilities and rural fields, praying for relief from the scorching heat.

The heatwave has forced the healthcare facilities to take emergency measures to provide medical services with higher number of patients reporting to hospitals with heat-related ailments since the beginning of April while the children and elderly people appeared as the most vulnerable during this prolonged hot weather.

"Large numbers of people are becoming ill with heatstroke, dehydration, exhaustion and breathing problems and they are suffering from other heat-related diseases as well," Director of Mugda Medical College and Hospital Dr Md Niatuzzaman told BSS.

The other hospitals and healthcare facilities including Shishu Hospital, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital and International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) reported identical scenarios.

"Nearly, 500 diarrhoea patients have been admitted to the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B). A significant number of patients are getting admission to ICDDRB daily," ICDDR'B spokesman AKM Tariful Islam Khan told BSS two days ago.

The health ministry issued a directive to take extra measures to face the crisis in hospitals across the country.

Doctors suggested people to stay indoors as much as possible and wear weather-suitable clothes during exposure to sun to protect themselves from heatstroke and take rest after one or two hours during working period alongside consuming more liquid food beside water to avoid dehydration during the heatwave.

"Our brains can tolerate certain level of temperature, if it exceeds people may faint, suffer heatstroke besides suffering from dehydration causing electrolyte imbalance and other complications including kidney dysfunction," former Suhrawardy Hospital director Professor Dr Khalilur Rahman said.