Heatwave in 21 districts, load shedding worsens public suffering

Rickshaw puller Rafiqul Islam (54) was standing near the railway station area in Jashore town around 8:00pm on Thursday. The temperature in Jashore that day was 38°C, according to the Meteorological Department—though he was unaware of the official figure. What he did know, however, was the intensity of the heat he had endured.

“It was unbearably hot today—impossible to describe. I haven’t seen heat like this before. Where I live, the electricity went four times. Even at night, it keeps coming and going. It’s extremely difficult,” he said.

This April’s heat has been made even more unbearable by load shedding. Rafiqul told Prothom Alo that he drove his rickshaw continuously from 9:00am to 4:00pm. After taking a short break, he went back to his mess to rest—only to find there was no electricity, meaning no fan either.

Large parts of the country have been scorched by intense heat for nearly a week. A heatwave is currently sweeping through at least one-third of the country’s districts. On Thursday alone, 21 districts experienced heatwave conditions. While such heatwaves are common in April, those who work outdoors under the blazing sun—like Rafiqul—are suffering the most.

Children and the elderly are also falling ill, and hospitals are seeing a rise in heat-related cases. However, compared to April 2024, the situation is still less severe. That year saw a continuous heatwave throughout the month—the worst in 76 years. This April, the heatwave has not yet been uninterrupted.

Heatwave in 21 districts

According to the Meteorological Department, 21 districts experienced heatwave conditions on Thursday, including the capital Dhaka. The temperature in Dhaka increased compared to the previous day, and little change is expected on Friday.

All 10 districts in Khulna Division are under a heatwave. Outside that region, temperatures recorded include 37°C in Dhaka, 36°C in Faridpur, 36.2°C in Madaripur, 37.3°C in Rajshahi, 36.2°C in Pabna, 36.1°C in Sirajganj, 36°C in Bandarban, 36.6°C in Rangamati, 37°C in Lakshmipur, and 36°C in both Feni and Patuakhali. Altogether, 21 districts experienced heatwave conditions.

In this situation, fuel shortages and load shedding have added to public suffering. The Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources said there was a power shortfall of at least 3,000 megawatts on Thursday.

State Minister for Power and Energy Anindya Islam told Parliament that a decision had been made to implement experimental load shedding of 110 megawatts in the capital. The government says that although generation capacity is high, electricity production is being constrained by shortages of gas and fuel.

Rise in heat-related illnesses

Rajshahi Medical College Hospital has reported an increase in heat-related patients compared to normal times, said its spokesperson Dr Shankar K. Biswas. Speaking to Prothom Alo, he said cases of respiratory issues, diarrhoea, and cholera-like illnesses have increased due to the heat, particularly among children and the elderly.

He added that no patients suffering from heatstroke have yet been admitted this season. “We have a dedicated heatstroke corner at the hospital and are prepared to treat such patients, but none have been admitted so far,” he said.

However, police have reported a suspected heatstroke death in Rajshahi. Abdul Alam, also known as Alauddin (50), collapsed and died while standing in line for fuel at a pump in Kesharhat, Mohanpur upazila. The incident occurred around 11:30am on Wednesday at Kesharhat Filling Station.

That day, Rajshahi recorded the country’s highest temperature—40°C—the highest so far this season. Local police sources said Alauddin fell ill due to the extreme heat and is believed to have died of heatstroke.

Meanwhile, at the Dhaka hospital of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), around 500 to 550 patients are being treated daily, said Shoaib Bin Islam, in charge of the diarrhoea unit. He noted that cholera tend to rise at the onset of hot weather. Patient numbers could increase within the next six to seven days. We are already seeing both children and adults coming in over the past few days, he said.

Temperatures may rise further today

Dhaka recorded a temperature of 37°C on Thursday, up from 36.5°C the previous day. Although the spread of the heatwave slightly reduced on Thursday, Meteorologist Md Omar Faruk said temperatures may rise again on Friday. “The temperature may increase slightly across the country, including in the capital,” he told Prothom Alo.

According to the weather forecast, light rain may occur in one or two places in Rangpur, Mymensingh, and Sylhet divisions.

For most people across the country, including in the capital, rain remains a long-awaited relief. However, Omar Faruk said there is little chance of rain in Dhaka today, and people may have to wait until Sunday for rainfall in most areas.

The heatwave began earlier this month, then briefly subsided, but temperatures have been rising again over the past week. The Meteorological Department has forecast multiple intense heatwaves throughout April.

(Information provided by correspondents in Jashore and Rajshahi)