Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
The capital, Dhaka, recorded its highest temperature of the season at a scorching 40.1 degrees Celsius on Saturday.
On Friday, Chuadanga hit 41.2 degrees and Dhaka 39.2 degrees, but Saturday's spike pushed the latter into uncharted territory.
Chuadanga sizzled at 42 degrees Celsius on Saturday, marking the nation's peak.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department classifies 38-39.9 degrees as a moderate heat wave, while 40-42 degrees signal severe conditions.
A heat wave varying from mild to severe has been sweeping the country for the last three days.
The relentless surge in temperatures is showing no immediate signs of cooling down.
The ongoing heat wave has hit day labourers and rickshaw pullers hard.
"It is like walking into an oven. There is no escaping it," said rickshaw puller Md Ramzan Ali.
Meteorologist Md Shahinul Islam warned that the heat may persist today (Sunday), with daytime temperatures remaining steady and night readings creeping up.
"Yet, a glimmer of relief looms. Rain or thunderstorms with gusty winds are possible in Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, and Sylhet divisions. Sunday could bring some respite, but the heat wave is not over," he told reporters Saturday afternoon.
The unrelenting heat has disrupted people's daily lives.
Schools remain open, and parents are worried about their children enduring sweltering classrooms.
"My daughter comes home exhausted, drenched in sweat," said Farhana, the guardian of a student.
The Met Office also predicted severe heat waves in parts of the country within 72 hours.
Chuadanga, a perennial hotspot, has borne the brunt of the rising mercury, but Dhaka's urban sprawl traps heat, making shaded alleys feel like furnaces.
Power outages in some areas in the capital have compounded the misery, leaving fans idle and tempers frayed.
Roadside tea stalls offer cold water and shade, while families flock to air-conditioned malls for relief. But the option for labourers and low-income communities is scarce.
"We work under the sun because we have to work for our livelihoods. No heat wave stops hunger," Md Billal Mia, a day labourer at the Khilgaon Kitchen Market area, told The Financial Express on Saturday.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com