An ongoing heatwave combined with frequent power outages has made life unbearable for residents of Chittagong, as health risks grow and sleepless nights become the norm.
On Sunday, the temperature in the city reached 35.2 degrees Celsius (95.4 Fahrenheit), while humidity levels surged to between 82 and 84 percent, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. The high humidity has also delayed the formation of rain clouds, worsening the situation.
Biswajit Chowdhury, a forecasting officer at the Patenga Meteorological Office, said light to moderate rain may occur in parts of the city on Monday, though cloud formation remains inconsistent due to elevated moisture levels in the air.
Meanwhile, electricity disruptions have added to the distress. Residents across several neighborhoods reported blackouts occurring five to six times a day, often lasting more than an hour, even during the night. Though officials denied these interruptions are part of load shedding, many locals say the outages are widespread and disruptive.
Md. Akbar Hossain, public relations officer for the Chittagong Power Development Board, said the disruptions were due to line work or transformer replacements, not load shedding.
In West Baklia, resident Rumon Bhattacharya said the power went out several times over the weekend. “It went off late at night on Saturday and returned after one and a half hours. My elderly parents and young children couldn’t sleep at all. Illnesses are increasing in our neighborhood due to this heat and power situation,” he said.
The impact on public health has been severe. Chittagong Medical College Hospital has seen a sharp increase in patients suffering from heat-related conditions, including dehydration, diarrhea and heat stroke. Wards 13, 14 and 16 are overcrowded, with some patients being treated in hallways.
Dr. Abdul Ahad Bin Idris, assistant registrar in the hospital’s Medicine Department No. 16, said the number of heat-related admissions is rising steadily. “We admitted two day laborers last week due to heat stroke. We are also seeing many patients with diarrhea, respiratory problems and high blood pressure,” he said.
Doctors are urging residents to stay hydrated, wear lightweight clothing and avoid direct sunlight, especially for children and the elderly who are most at risk.