Heatwave sweeping over 11 Bangladesh districts threatens wider area

Khulna and Chuadanga record the highest temperatures as a mild heatwave grips the country

After a week of respite from searing hot weather, a heatwave is sweeping across 11 districts as meteorologists predict it to spread in the coming days of summer.

In a bulletin of Wednesday evening, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) said a mild heatwave was blowing over Khulna Division alongside Sirajganj district.

Khulna and Chuadanga recorded the highest temperature at 3.8°C while the mercury topped at 35.7°C in Dhaka.

Meteorologist Omar Faruq said, “The temperature will continue rising until Sunday before dropping from the following day. The heatwave won’t dissipate in a day after starting to diminish, rather it’ll happen gradually.”

When the mercury rises to between 36 and 38 degrees Celsius, meteorologists consider it a light heatwave. A moderate heatwave occurs between temperatures of 38-40 degrees Celsius. A severe heatwave occurs when the temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius.

According to the forecast, occasional gusty winds, lightning, showers or thundershowers may occur in one or two places in Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions over the next 24 hours from 6pm Wednesday.

The weather in other places of the country is likely to remain dry with the skies partly cloudy.

Over the next 24 hours, daytime temperatures may edge up 1 or 2°C while the mercury is expected to rise slightly at night.