Severe conditions are forecast to persist for 72hrs: Heatwaves, tropical cyclones likely

Special Correspondent :
Bangladesh grapples with a scorching heatwave, the latest in a long line of extreme weather events highlighting the country’s vulnerability to climate change.

The intense heat has disrupted daily life, forcing the closure of schools and colleges until April 27th.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) issued a fresh 72-hour heatwave alert for the entire nation.

Jashore and Chuadanga districts recorded the highest temperatures, reaching a staggering 40.6 degrees Celsius.

Severe heatwave conditions are currently affecting several districts, including Rajshahi, Pabna, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jashore, Chuadanga, and Kushtia.

Milder to moderate heat waves are also impacting Dhaka, Rangpur, and Barishal divisions, with some areas in Mymensingh, Moulvibazar, and Rangamati districts potentially experiencing similar conditions.

While daytime temperatures may rise slightly, nights are expected to offer little relief, with minimal change.

The Met Office warns of persistent discomfort due to rising humidity levels.

Meteorologist Md. Bazlur Rashid from the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) said, “The heatwave is gripping the country and could continue for at least another 72 hours more, potentially lasting until Thursday morning.”

He cautioned that, despite a temporary dip in intensity due to clouds, the heatwave is expected to intensify again.

This heat wave is another reminder of Bangladesh’s extreme vulnerability to climate change.

A report by the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) highlights the country’s geography, particularly its low-lying delta, as a key factor.

Bangladesh ranks among the nations most susceptible to climate disasters. Between 2000 and 2019 alone, the country endured 185 extreme weather events, solidifying its position as the seventh most vulnerable nation to climate change.

The ICCCAD report also mentions scorching heatwaves like the one in June 2023, where temperatures exceeded 40°C, along with frequent cyclones impacting coastal areas, causing an average yearly loss of 0.7% of GDP.

According to the ICCCAD report, Bangladesh’s climate is humid, wet, and warm and revolves around the monsoon.

Typically, the rainy season lasts from April to September, when the climate is warmest, while the winter season (December to February) is drier and colder.

Rainfall is driven by the south-west monsoon from the Indian Ocean, and the country typically endures a tropical cyclone every two to three years.

The report also stated that devastating floods are happening more often.

Climate change caused the pre-monsoon rain to destroy the summer paddy crop in 2017. Alongside extreme weather, sea level in Bangladesh is rising by 3.8 to 5.8 mm per year—faster than the global average.

Climate impacts are already damaging ecosystems, livelihoods, infrastructure, and food security, the ICCCAD report said, adding that extreme heat exposes workers to heat stress, costing lives and reducing productivity.

Tropical cyclones and associated storm surges have destroyed homes and disrupted coastal livelihoods, such as fisheries, in the recent past. In 2017, floods caused by climate change contributed to a 30% hike in rice prices.

Sea level rise is forcing people to leave their homes and has increased land affected by saline soils by 27% since the 1970s, with consequences for crops and livelihoods.

During this time in Baishakh, occasional pre-monsoon showers and the coolness are sometimes a relief; however, even that is absent this time. April, like the past two years, seems to have turned terribly harsh.

Meanwhile, at least eight people died from heat stroke in several districts due to the prevailing heat wave for the past few days.

However, in some parts of the Dhaka, Rajshahi, and Khulna divisions, the summer heat is severe.

Due to the rising temperatures, the discomfort of the heat was quite intense. In the last ten years, from March to July, the heatwave has been increasing intermittently throughout 80% of the country.

The most excruciating suffering during this month is caused by the combination of extreme heat and humidity, known as the “wet bulb globe temperature” (WBGT).

This kind of extreme heat is beginning to take the form of fatal calamities such as heatstroke and cyclones.

In April, the average temperature in Bangladesh is 33 degrees Celsius. However, for the past week, it has remained between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius.

The highest temperature in the country was 42.6 degrees Celsius in Jessore on Saturday. The temperature in Dhaka exceeded 40 degrees Celsius.

Over 42 degrees Celsius is considered a very severe heat wave, while between 40 and 41.9 degrees Celsius is considered severe, 38 to 39.9 degrees Celsius is considered a moderate heat wave, and 36 to 37.9 degrees Celsius is conserved as a mild heat wave in the country, according to the BMD.