Bangladesh to keep govt primary schools shut from Jun 5-8 due to excessive heat

In the last couple of weeks, temperatures across Bangladesh have hit a record high

Government primary schools will suspend classes nationwide on Jun 5-8 as temperatures across Bangladesh have hit record highs.

The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education announced the move on Sunday and said the decision was made with the health and wellbeing of students in mind.

The authorities also suspended the Bangabandhu Gold Cup Primary School Football Tournament 2023 and the Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Gold Cup Primary School Football Tournament 2023 until further notice.

Both tournaments were scheduled to kick off on Saturday.

A World Bank report released in 2021 noted that average temperature spikes in Bangladesh are broadly in line with the global average.

“Bangladesh will experience emerging hot and humid seasons, in which the Heat Index surpasses 35°C,” reads the report.

The demand for electricity soared as soon as the heatwave started sweeping across the country, culminating in frequent power outages.

READ MORE: When will power cuts stop? Bangladeshis ask amid heat and disruption in production

According to stakeholders linked to power production sectors in the country, several power plants have been forced to shut down or cut production due to a shortage of source energy.

Engineers in the sector expect the power crisis to worsen if the Payra Thermal Power Plant fully shuts down operations in the next two to three days.

A recent Bangladesh Power Development Board report indicates an average daily deficit of 1,500 to 1,700 MW in power production. The authorities are rationing supply across the country to shed this load, resulting in outages.