Hot spell claims 11more in 2 dists

Large scale death of chickens have been reported from Satkhira. In Dinajpur, diarrhoea and other intestinal diseases have broken out due to the excessive heat.

A Correspondent reports from Dinajpur: The ongoing heat wave killed at least 10 people including an under-trial prisoner in last seven days.

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Prisoner Kashabuddin became unconscious at Dinajpur district jail due to excessive heat. He was shifted to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital on Friday where he died, hospital sources said.

Sources at Dinajpur Medical Collage Hospital said at least 70 people have been admitted to the hospital for treatment of sunstroke.

The hot spell has given rise to diseases like diarrhoea, influenza and dysentery. Intestinal diseases killed four children in Dinajpur town so far, sources said.

The unfavourable weather is also affecting academic activities at schools and production in mills and factories. Attendance at primary schools, high schools and colleges all over the district has dropped because of the sultry weather.

Roads in Dinajpur wear a deserted look at noon as people try to keep indoors unless compelled.

According to the hospital sources, the dead for sunstroke include Ansar Sheikh ,65; Kutubuddin, 50; Monosha Roy, 55 and Joynal, 45. Those killed by diarrhoea are five-day old Baby, 15-month old Lishita, two-year old Shumi and Ariful, 4.

The heat wave also killed a good number of poultry birds in different farms and also some goats and cows in the Sadar upazila in the last three days.

In many areas, farmers do not dare to go to fields to harvest IRRI-Boro paddy fearing sunstroke. Day labourers are now demanding more wage to harvest paddy.

Our satkhira Correspondent reports: A man died from sunstroke at Lohakura village in Kolaroa upazila. The victim is farmer Hossain Ali, 50, police said. He fell sick while working in the field. He died while being taken to hospital.

A heat wave sweeping the district for the last few days also killed at least 800 chickens in a poultry farm at Deara village in Kolaroa upazila. Mahidul Hoq, owner of the farm said poultry farming has now become a risky business as chickens die in large numbers in adverse climate.

He said he incurred a loss of over Tk one lakh due to the heat wave.