10 more students fall ill in Barishal, Cumilla
High schools, colleges in 5 divisions
remain closed today
Heat may abate from May 2
Amid the intense heat in different parts of the country, Chuadanga recorded 43.0 degrees Celsius temperature on Monday, the highest in 10 years.
However, 10 more students fell ill in their classrooms in Barishal and Cumilla on the day due to ongoing severe heatwave sweeping the country.
Under such unusual circumstances, the government has decided to keep all the primary schools across the country shut until May 2 while secondary schools and colleges in five districts will remain closed today (Tuesday).
Talking about the highest temperature in Chuadanga district, Jaminur Rahman, in-charge of Chuadanga Weather Observatory Centre, said they have recorded 43 degrees Celsius temperature at 3:00 pm in Chuadanga and it may rise after evening.
“This is the highest temperature recorded in the past 10 years in the district,” he said.
On May 21 in 2014, Chuadanga recorded temperature at 43.2 degrees Celsius.
Chuadanga has been experiencing extreme heat weather since the middle of the month of April, paralysing normal life.
Jaminur further said there is no possibility of rainfall in the next two days in the district and temperature may rise or remain unchanged.
According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, very severe heatwave was sweeping Jashore and Rajshahi districts and severe heatwave was prevailing in parts of Khulna division, Tangail, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Naogaon, Pabna and Nilphamari districts. Mild to moderate heat wave was sweeping Barishal division, parts of Dhaka, Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions, Mymensingh, Moulvibazar, Rangamati, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni and Bandarban districts. Due to the increase of moisture incursion, discomfort may persist, it said.
Country’s highest temperature was recorded at 42.2 degrees Celsius in Jashore on Sunday and 18mm rainfall was recorded in Sunamganj till 6:00 am on Monday.
Over 10 students fall ill in Barishal, Cumilla
At least 10 students fell ill in their classrooms in Barishal and Cumilla districts due to severe heatwave on Monday.
"In the classroom, I was feeling stomach aches, headache, and nausea due to the extreme heat. I was unable to see anything clearly," said Tasnin, a 6th grader at Jagadish Saraswat Girls School and College in Barishal, while describing her discomfort amid scorching heatwave.
Three students of the school, including Tasnin, fell ill in their classroom due to the sweltering heat Monday afternoon.
Kawsar Hossain, assistant teacher of the school, said, "40 students were attending classes. Following power outage in the afternoon, one student of class VI and two students of class VII fell ill due to the extreme heat."
Later, the students were sent home, he added.
Meanwhile, two other students fell ill at Kuakata Bangabandhu Secondary School in Kalapara upazila of Patuakhali district.
Headmaster of the school, Md Khalilur Rahman, said two sixth graders-Eamon Ichha and Karima Akhtar–fell sick in their classroom on Monday.
"Two students fell ill today. More students may become ill in the future. Uninterrupted power supply alleviates the heat but taking classes is challenging when power outages occur," said the teacher.
He strongly advocated for uninterrupted electricity supply to schools to facilitate teaching and learning.
On the other hand, seven students of a school in Muradnagar upazila of Cumilla have fallen ill due to the extreme heat.
Masuda Akhter, Headmistress of Taymos Begum High School, said some students fell ill during class and they were later sent back home with their parents.
The school was then declared closed for the day after they communicated with the district secondary education officer.
Primary schools to remain closed till May 2
The government has decided to keep closed all the primary schools, child welfare trust schools and learning centres run under the Bureau of Non-Formal Education across the country until May 2 (Thursday) due to ongoing severe heatwave.
According to a press release issued on Monday afternoon by Senior Information Officer of Primary and Mass Education Ministry Mahbubur Rahman Tuhin, all levels of primary schools will remain closed until May 2 as the ongoing heatwave griped the country.
In the release, he said the decision was taken to ensure health and safety of children.
All schools, colleges, madrasas, and technical education institutions in five districts, including Dhaka, remained closed on Monday due to the ongoing heatwave.
The issue of heatwave across the country – leading to around 35 deaths till Sunday – has raised worries about the health impact on students.
At least 17 students of a secondary school fell ill yesterday due to the extreme heat in Noakhali's Hatiya upazila. Later, the students were sent home.
Some students also fell sick in Kushtia and Munshiganj.
While talking to the reporters on Sunday, Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel said if the temperature in any district exceeds 42 degrees Celsius, educational institutions in the respective area will be closed.
Schools, colleges in 5 divisions, including Dhaka, remain closed today
The government has also decided to keep the educational institutions in five divisions, including Dhaka, closed due to the extreme heat conditions.
All schools, colleges, madrasas, and technical education institutions in Khulna and Rajshahi divisions will be closed, said an education ministry press release issued on Monday.
Additionally, educational institutions in six districts under Dhaka division, two districts under Rangpur division, and one district under Barishal division will also remain shut today.
The districts include Dhaka, Tangail, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Manikganj, and Gazipur under Dhaka division, Kurigram and Dinajpur under Rangpur division and Patuakhali under Barishal division.
All schools, colleges, madrasas, and technical education institutions in Dhaka, Chuadanga, Jashore, Khulna and Rajshahi districts remained closed on Monday due to the ongoing heatwave.
Schools and colleges across the country which were closed due to the heatwave reopened on Sunday (April 28) although the sweltering heat is unlikely to abate soon.
Earlier on 20 April, due to the ongoing heatwave condition, the authorities concerned extended closure of schools, colleges, madrasas, and technical education institutions across the country until April 27 (Saturday) which were scheduled to reopen after Eid holidays on 21 April.
HC orders keeping all schools, colleges shut till May 2
On the other hand, the High Court has asked the authorities concerned to keep primary and secondary level educational institutions closed until Thursday (2 May) due to extreme heat conditions.
The HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the suo moto order on Monday.
The educational institutions which have air conditioners, universities, A and O level exams and public examinations will remain out of the purview of the order.
Md Manir Uddin, a Supreme Court lawyer, drew the attention of the court about the news of death and sickness of people including teachers and students after the reopening of the educational institutions amid the heat alert across the country.
Temperature may fall from May 2 due to rain, thundershowers
Bangladesh Meteorological Department has predicted that rain or thundershowers in Dhaka and other parts of the country will cause a fall in the temperature.
"Rains and thundershowers are expected in Chattogram, Sylhet, Mymensingh and some other parts of the country including Dhaka division from May 2," Abdul Kalam Mollik, a meteorologist of BMD, told UNB.
The temperature will come down due to rainfall, he said.
"Very severe heatwave is sweeping Jashore and Rajshahi districts and severe heatwave is prevailing in parts of Khulna division, Tangail, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Naogaon, Pabna and Nilphamari districts. Mild to moderate heatwave is sweeping Barishal division, parts of Dhaka, Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions, Mymensingh, Moulvibazar, Rangamati, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni and Bandarban districts," said a BMD bulletin on Monday.
Rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty/squally wind is likely to occur at one or two places over Chattogram and Sylhet divisions with hails at isolated places, it said.
Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country.
Day temperature may rise slightly and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.
Due to increase of moisture incursion, the discomfort may persist, it said.
Country's highest temperature was recorded at 42.2 degree Celsius in Jashore district yesterday and 18 mm rains were recorded in Sunmaganj till 6:00 am on Monday.