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People in the capital and across the country continued to suffer from scorching heat and humid weather in the fasting month of Ramadan amid the ongoing heatwave that might continue for a few more days.
The heatwave brought the worst sufferings to the working-class people, like - day labourers, rickshaw pullers and farmers, especially those who work outdoor.
Even the people, who were fasting, were also affected a lot due to the blistering heat.
Talking to The Financial Express (FE), Abdul Kamal Mollik, a meteorologist of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), said a mild to moderate heat wave was sweeping over eight divisions across the country, and it might continue until Thursday.
He, however, said the severe heatwave, which was sweeping over the regions of Rajshahi, Jashore, Kushtia and Khulna, might lose its intensity from Monday's evening.
Severe heat-wave is recorded when the temperature crosses 40 degrees Celsius. On Sunday, the highest temperature was recorded 41.2 degrees Celsius in Jashore, which was the highest in seven years.
No rainfall is likely to occur until April 29, the meteorologist said, adding that the country's temperature may start reducing from April 30.
The Met Office in its 24-hour forecast said the highest temperature was recorded 39.8 degrees Celsius in Jashore on Monday, while the minimum temperature was 21.8 degrees Celsius at Sreemangal. On the day, the highest temperature in Dhaka was 39.4 degrees Celsius.
Day and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country, according to the BMD bulletin.
Talking to the FE, Md. Hafizur Rahman, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said farmers were suffering a lot due to the existing heatwave as he saw while visiting seven places to inspect boro harvesting on Sunday.
However, the harvesting continued amid the scorching heat, and no farmer fell sick.
The heatwave could not impact much on boro paddy, as some 70 per cent of the paddy was already harvested in the regions, the DAE deputy director added.
A K M Tariful Islam Khan, manager - media and communications at International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), told the FE that the number of patients with various heat-related diseases, including diarrhoea, dehydration and so on, was normal in the hospital.
The number of patients admitted to icddr,b was relatively normal due to the month of Ramadan and the ongoing lockdown, he added.
Kabir Ahmed, a rickshaw-puller in Mohammadpur area, told the FE that he was limiting his rickshaw trips due to hot weather and fasting.
"My income has reduced, as I cannot pull the rickshaw for long," he said, adding that he had to take a nap often due to hot weather.
Vaskor Biswas, a farmer at Dakop upazila in Khulna, one of the divisions witnessing the severe heatwave for the last few days, said farmers were now in great difficulties due to extreme hot weather.
They could not work in paddy fields and fields of other seasonal vegetables, including watermelon, afternoon.
Four to five farmers also fell sick while working in the field, he said, adding that they had to take a rest often due to hot weather.
Some agriculture labourers felt reluctant to work in the field due to severe heat-wave, Mr Biswas added.
The hawkers, who sell vegetables and fruits from door to door by their vans amid the Covid-19 pandemic, also witnessed a blow due to hot weather.
Sumon, a vegetable vender, said his sale of vegetables reduced in the last two days, as he was unable to sell throughout the day due to hot weather.
He went to sell vegetables by van despite sweltering heat - for feeding his six-member family, he added.