Dhaka hottest in five decades

Temperature in capital Dhaka on Thursday soared to a sizzling 40.2 degrees Celsius, the highest in five decades, the Met Office said.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 24 April 2014, 04:30 PM
Updated : 24 April 2014, 05:40 PM

Its forecast officer Abul Kalam Mollick told bdnews24.com: “This is the second highest temperature in Dhaka. The previous highest recorded was 42.3 degrees in 1960.”

The mercury is rising because of low humidity and a spell of heatwave. Such conditions could last another few days, Met Office forecast said.

There was little possibility of rain before Monday, said Mollick.

Before Thursday, the highest temperature recorded in Dhaka in recent years was 39.6 degrees on Apr 27, 2009.

The maximum temperature recorded in the country on Thursday was 42.4 degrees in Jessore, breaking the district’s earlier high of 41.5 degrees last year.

Chuadanga recorded a temperature of 41.5 degrees last April. But this district recorded 41.6 degrees on Wednesday, the highest in the current season.

The highest temperature Bangladesh experienced was on May 18, 1972, in Rajshahi – 45.1 degrees.

Friday’s forecast said the weather may remain dry with a partly cloudy sky.

The severe heatwave sweeping across Dhaka, Tangail, Faridpur, Rajshahi, Ishwardi, Khulna, Mongla, Jessore and Chuadanga, and a moderate to mild heatwave elsewhere may continue.

Day and night temperature may also rise slightly.

Two die in heat stroke

Two people have died of heat stroke in Barisal’s Ujirpur Upazila.

They are Alam Khan, 60, and Siddqur Rahman, 55, a farmer, Upazila Heath Complex doctor Alauddin Miah told bdnews24.com Barisal Correspondent.

Khan died around 1.30pm and Rahman around 4:30pm while undergoing treatment, he said.

Barisal Met Office official Abdul Halim said the heat – 38.5 degrees Celsius – on Thursday had been excruciating. The humidity level was 34 percent.

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