Life made miserable as heatwave sweeps Rajshahi

A mild to moderate heat wave has gripped the people of Rajshahi and as a result, the normal livelihood of the region, particularly of the vast Barind tract, is being affected badly.

Due to the absence of rainfall, the people of Rajshahi are experiencing scorching heat from dawn to dusk. The high humidity of 95% in the mornings is also making the lives of people in the city unbearable.

The local met office recorded the season's highest temperature at 40.3°C on Sunday.

During the last two weeks, the mercury remained between 35°C to 39°C, said Shahidul Islam, senior observatory officer of Rajshahi Meteorological Office.

He also said there was no rainfall there since February except the 7.4 millimetres on April 11.

The condition of the working class, especially day labourers, rickshaw and van pullers, construction workers, masons and street vendors have turned miserable due to the daylong hot spell. 

With no traces of rainfall or even a speck of cloud in the sky for over one week, people are being forced to remain indoors and are not daring to come out except for emergencies during the daytime.

On a visit to the city’s Shimla area at noon, this correspondent saw around 10-12 people taking rest under the shade of a large mango tree.

Sanwar, a rickshaw puller, said he came here to take a break as the number of people on the road was getting a little lower. 

Two other rickshaw pullers said that they were extremely fatigued after carrying passengers on the hot summer morning.

Monowara Begum, a woman from the city’s Raninagar, said she could not stand the heat of the stove when cooking. “If it rained, everyone would get some relief from this unbearable heat.”

Kamal Uddin, an observer at the Rajshahi Meteorological Office, said the mild to moderate heatwave caused by the prolonged absence of rainfall was an indication of rapid climate change.

Rezaur Rahman, professor of geography and environmental studies department at Rajshahi University, said the effects of global warming were driving the timing of the seasonal shift out of balance.

“In order to address this abnormal phenomenon, there is no alternative to afforestation,” he added.