DHAKA, May 8, 2024 (BSS) - When the entire Bangladesh had been reeling under
sweltering heatwave since the onset of the summer, rain lashed almost entire
country for three consecutive days brings much needed respites from
uncomfortable hot weather.
 
"Bangladesh including Khulna and Rajshahi division are witnessing rainfall
with thunderstorms. We are predicting more rains may occur across the
country, Tariful Newaz Kabir, meteorologist of Bangladesh Meteorological
Department (BMD) told BSS this morning.
 
Referring to latest update data of BMD, he said the country will witness
moderate to heavy rainfall with thundershower till next week.
 
The long awaited rainfall has brought great relief for the people,
particularly working class segment of population including day laborers, the
meteorologist said adding the longest spell of heatwave beaching all time
record in the history of Bangladesh severely affected life and livelihoods of
the working class people.
 
"Finally, we have got much needed relief from deadly heatwave ... analyzing
different indexes of long-term weather, Bangladesh will not face extreme
heatwave event like previous month of April which saw record-breaking
heatwave 28 days, except only two days of the entire month did not witness
heatwave," Kabir added.    
 
"Severe heatwave is unlikely to sweep over the country . . . but moderate to
light heatwave may prevail in southwestern and northwestern regions of the
country from mid-May," Omar Faruq, meteorologist of Bangladesh Meteorological
Department(BMD), told BSS on May 7.
 
He said the entire country may witness heavy to very heavy rainfall along
with thunderstorms (locally known Kalboishaki) from May 7 and it will
continue till May 14 meaning temperature will continue to fall during the
period.

On April 26, Bangladesh set all-time heatwave record as the Met Office
recorded 24 days of heatwave breaching previous 23 days of heatwave in 2019.

"Twenty-three days of heatwave were logged during two months of April and May
in 2019, which were considered the prolonged heatwave in the history of the
country. But the April alone crossed the grim milestone setting new record of
heatwave days," BMD meteorologist Dr Abul Kalam Mallik said.

Explaining the three key indexes of hot weather - - heatwave, severe heatwave
and very severe heatwave, the BMD meteorologist said, "We consider
temperatures above 36 degrees Celsius for at least two consecutive days as
heatwave while temperatures between 40 degrees and 42 degrees are severe
heatwave and temperature of above 42 degree Celsius is very severe heatwave."

The weather expert said earlier, the western and northern regions -- Khulna,
Rajshahi, Rangpur of Bangladesh are considered heatwave-prone areas. Some
south-western parts of Barishal division and Dhaka division experienced
heatwave, he continued.

"Since the 90s, days of heatwave have been increasing alarmingly in
Bangladesh giving a clear signal that the country may face prolonged heatwave
in future . . . Simultaneously heatwave is spreading across the country,"
Mallik added.

"Once, heatwave was confined in the western, northern and central parts of
Bangladesh. But this year the entire country is witnessing heatwave. It means
weather pattern in Bangladesh has changed drastically extending heatwave
coverage areas with its intensity," he added.

According to the BMD collected data, 18 days of heatwave were recorded
between April 13 and 14 in Dhaka in 1999, 13 days of heatwave were posted in
Dhaka in May in 2004 and 18 days, 19 days, 20 days of heatwave in Jashore in
2014, 2016 and 2017 respectively.

The BMD also added that 13, 10, 17 days and 13 days of heatwave were reported
in 2014, 2016, 2019 and 2022 in Rajshahi respectively while 19 and 23 days of
heatwave in 2014 and 2019 respectively in Chudanga.

"Khulna and Rajshahi divisions bore the brunt of the heatwave as maximum
temperatures above 40 degree Celsius were recorded in most weather stations
at the beginning of last month," Bazlur Rashid, meteorologist of Bangladesh
Meteorological Department (BMD) said.

"Finally, Khulna division recorded heavy rainfall since Monday while another
hardest-hit Rajshahi region received little rainfall on May 6," the
meteorologist forecasted rainfall is likely to occur in Rashahi and Khulna
divisions.

Jashore and Chuadanga experienced highest temperature in almost every day
since the sweltering heatwave blasted the country since the onset of the
summer this year sending mercury as high as nearly 44 degrees Celsius.

The year's highest temperature of 43.8 degrees Celsius was recorded in the
southwestern district of Jashore on April 30 while the second highest
temperature of 43.7 degrees Celsius was recorded in another south-western
district of Chuadanga.

Echoing the comments of Tariful Newaz Kabir, BMD meteorologist said when the
entire Bangladesh is grappling with a brutal heatwave since April 1 setting
all-time record of prolonged heatwave days, much of the country witnessed
significant rainfall with thunderstorms.
Rainfalls of three consecutive two days have brought much needed relief
bringing down average temperature by three to four degrees Celsius across the
country, Monwar said adding mercury has dipped significantly at some weather
stations up to six degrees Celsius meaning very cool weather is prevailing
almost entire country.

Unlike previous month of April, residents will get respite from blistering
heatwave throughout the month of May as mercury will maintain the tolerable
temperature with impact of rainfall and thunderstorms, the BMD meteorologist
added.

According to the weather bulletin issued by BMD on May 7, Dhaka city and its
adjacent districts recorded a significant amount of rainfall, he said adding,
"The Met Office recorded 97mm at Madaripur, 63mm at Gopalganj,”

The country's highest rainfall was recorded in Feni with 130 mm while 118 mm
were recorded in Chattogram, 70mm at Swandip, 57mm at Sitakunda, 89mm at
Chandpur, 33mm at Bandarban, 75mm at Khulna, 67mm at Sathkhira, 25mm at
Jashore, 75 mm at Barishal, 45 at Patuakhali, 80 mm at Khepupara, 69mm at
Bhola, 63mm at Sylhet, the bulletin added.
 
Monwar said after mid-May, mild to moderate heatwave will sweep some regions
including Khulna and Rajshahi and "We are expecting Bangladesh will not face
deadly heatwave like the month of April."

Mallik suggested avoiding to stay outdoors during the hailstorm as intensity
of hailstorms is increasing accompanied with frequent lightning impacted by
climate change, which are largely responsible for casualties.
The Met Office recorded 34.6 degrees Celsius on May 7 at Jeshore while the
temperature in Dhaka was recorded at 32.6 degrees Celsius during the same
day.

Visibly for the first time the meteorologists acknowledged that the climate
change phenomenon caused the erratic weather pattern with gradually expanding
areas of heatwave, joining the voice with the climate experts and activists.