The Bangladesh Meteorological Department on Friday warned that the ongoing heat wave is likely to intensify today with up to 3C rise in day temperature.Days getting even hotter means a further rise in the power demand, threatening more frequent power cuts. Parts of Bangladesh already reported experiencing up to 10 hours of power cuts, particularly in rural areas.

The BMD also warned that the hot and dry condition might last through April 12.‘Continued inflow of moisture is making us feel ever hotter,’ meteorologist Shaheenul Islam told .

‘The temperature might go up by up to 3C at places,’ he said. On Friday, Bangladesh’s highest maximum temperature of 39C was recorded in Rajshahi, which remained the hottest place in the country for the second consecutive day.

Dhaka’s maximum day temperature was recorded to be 34C. A mild to moderate heat was sweeping over Rajshahi division and the districts of Bagerhat, Kushtia and Chuadanga with the likelihood of it further spreading, the BMD said.

The current heat wave started on March 31.The weather, however,  is predicted to be different in Sylhet with intermittent rain.

In the 24 hours until 6:00pm on Friday, Bangladesh’s highest rainfall of 100mm was recorded in Sylhet.Frequent power cuts meanwhile continued with different areas remaining without electricity for an hour or even more in regular intervals.

At 12:00 midnight past Thursday, the overall load shedding was recorded to be 1,890MW with 12,521MW electricity generated against the demand of 14,500MW. The Power Cell predicted the power demand to reach 17,500MW this month, the hottest month.Bangladesh’s current installed capacity is 26,844MW.

But the capacity remains unused due to shortage of fuels—gas, coal and oil. Bangladesh has been facing a severe dollar crisis for about three years now.

Last year, April saw day temperature exceed 40C at many places amidst record power cuts.This summer is different than any other for people suffered from lack of electricity while their power bills inflated because of price hike.

Farmers are the worst hit as despite paying high prices they do not get enough electricity to run pumps for lifting groundwater to irrigate fields.