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The first fatalities due to the ongoing severe heatwave were recorded on Saturday with two deaths in Chuadanga and one in Pabna.
The deceased were identified as Jakir Hossain, 33, of Thakurpur village, Damurhuda upazila, Chuadanga, Morjina Khatun, 60, of the same upazila, and Sukumar Das, 60, from Shalgaria Jakir Moar in Pabna district town.
On the same day, the year’s highest temperature was recorded in Jashore at 42.6-degree Celsius, while temperature in the capital crossed the 40-degree Celsius mark.
The current heatwave started on 15 April, and there is little sign it would weaken in the next few days.
Chuadanga has been recording the country’s highest temperature at the district-level over the last couple of days. About 42.3-degree Celsius warmth was recorded in the district on Saturday. Moreover, Pabna districti’s highest temperature for the year was also recorded on Saturday afternoon at 41.6 degree Celsius.
Jakir Hossain, 33, died from heatstroke while irrigating a farm on Saturday morning. He was an employee at a village high school.
He fell sick hours after going to the field at 8am. Other farmers tried to take him to a local health complex, but he died on the way, said Amir Hossain, father of the deceased.
Pabna General Hospital’s on-duty physician Dr Zahedul Islam said Sukumar Das suddenly fell sick amid the scorching heat while taking tea at a tea stall in the city’s Rupkotha Mor at noon.
Later, locals rushed him to the hospital where physicians declared him dead upon arrival, he said.
On the other hand, Chuadanga recorded the season’s highest temperature at 42.3 degree Celsius on Saturday afternoon.
Tahmina Nasrin, weather observer at Chuadanga First Class Meteorological Observatory, said after a continuous intense heat wave, the temperature has increased further and a very severe heat wave has started.
The heat wave is going on because there is no rain. If it rains, the temperature will drop considerably, she said, adding that there is no rain forecast for now.
bd-pratidin/GR
