At least seven people died of heatstroke in six districts on Wednesday amid intense heatwave sweeping across the country.
Since Friday, at least 25 people died of heatstroke and heat exhaustion, as per media report analysis by the Daily Observer.
The first heatstroke fatality of the year occurred on April 19 when 70-year-old Shahjada Saleh Ahmed Shah died in Anwara Upazila, Chattogram.
The number of death caused by heatstroke is rising everyday.
On Saturday at least three people died of heatwave, one each in Pabna, Chuadanga and Gazipur. On Sunday, heatstroke claimed three lives, one each in Meherpur, Narsingdi and Sylhet. At least three people died of heatstroke in Dhaka, Shariatpur and Dinajpur on Monday. At least eight people died of heatstroke on Tuesday.
On Wednesday morning, Md Nurul Islam, 75, died of heatstroke while undergoing treatment at Gualanda Upazila Health Complex in Rajbari.
Nurul Islam was a retired teacher of a local government primary school.
On the same day, two farmers died of heatstroke in two upazilas in Nilphamari.
The deceased were identified as Anwarul Ahmen, 52, and Abu Taleb, 54.
In Domar upazila, Anwar fell ill while working in a crop field under the open sky at around 1:30pm. Locals rescued him and took him to the Domar Health Upazila Complex, where a doctor declared him dead.
In Dimla upazila, Abu Taleb felt sick while working on farmland. Neighbours took him to the health complex, where the on duty doctor declared him dead.
Labourer Md Naya Mia Fakir, 55, died of heatstroke while digging a pond under the open sky at Taltoli in Barguna.
Neighbours took him to Upazila Health Complex where doctor on duty declared him dead at around 12pm.
Our Bogura correspondent reported that farmer Abdus Salam, 60, died of heatstroke at Sherpur in Bogura at around 2:30pm.
Union parishad member Ariful Islam said Salam died falling ill while cutting grass for his cattle.
Farmer Samshul Alam, 60, son of late Thanda Mia died while working in crop field at Lohagara upazila in Chattogram.
Quoting the son of the deceased, in-charge of Chunati Police Station Alauddin said that Samshul Alam was working in the chili field and did not return in due time.
Family members found his body in the field but there was no sign of injury on it. They suspected that Samshul Alam might have died of heat stroke while working in the field in intense heat.
Ishtiaque Wares Turzo, a 202nd batch student of Finance of North South University student died of heatstroke around 9:00pm on Tuesday.
Bangladesh Meteorological Department could provide no good news regarding relief from the scorching heat.
Rather, it extended its heat alert for three more days until Thursday.
The countrys highest temperature of 41.6 degrees Celsius was recorded in Mongla on Wednesday while the lowest temperature of 20.7 degrees Celsius was recorded in Tetulia.
In Dhaka division, the highest temperature of 40.4 degrees Celsius was recorded in Faridpur on Wednesday.
In this situation, the Health Services on Tuesday issued a four-point guideline to prevent heatstroke as severe heatwaves griped the country forcing people to stay indoors to avoid the scorching heat.
The guidelines are: stay away from intense heat and take rest under shadow, drink plenty of safe water, avoid street food and drinks to avoid deadly waterborne diseases including Hepatitis A and E, diarrhoea, and bathing more than once if necessary using hot weather, wear loose, thin and light-coloured clothes, avoid dark-coloured clothes if possible.
It also advised people to visit doctors, if any symptom such as stopping sweating, nausea, severe headache, and increased body temperatures, decreased appetite, burning sensation, convulsions and fainting occur during this hot weather.
