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Vegetable fields are being turned dry and grey for lack of rainwater in Chandpur amid the scorching heat, leaving farmers in trouble.
Farmers fear that they may suffer a huge loss from their vegetable cultivation for the ongoing sweltering heat.
This information came while this correspondent talked to some farmers, including Abdul Latif of Char Krishnapur, Mostafa Khan Kalu of Kumardughi, Jashimuddin Patwary of Ghoserhat and Hanif Mia of Lodergaon.
Talking to the FE, Mobarak Hossain, an agriculture expert in Chandpur agriculture office, has said, "If this drought continues for a few more days, it will severely hit vegetable fields."
Local people are also worried about the searing heat of the tropical summer as there is no rain in the last 20 days.
A special prayer 'Isteskhara namaj' was offered in the Hasan Ali Govt High School ground in the district town, seeking divine blessings/ mercies of Allah for rain.' Hundreds of people attended this prayer to get rid of the ongoing severe heatwave.
Many believe that the summer heat has turned severe for want of ponds, lakes, canals, marshes and ditches.
''Almost all the ponds, lakes, canals and marshes in Chandpur district town are already filled with sand and earth and then buildings are built there," many a local said.
There is no enough water in water bodies, which also contribute to the scorching heat of a tropical summer, they add.
Amid the sweltering heat, frequent load-shedding also take place in the district, leaving people, especially elderly and children, in trouble.
Many people go out of their homes in afternoon and take shelter on Meghna and Dakatia river banks to inhale cool air.
Due to the severe heat, many people, mostly children, have fallen sick and taken admission with diarrhea and fever to Chandpur General Hospital.
Meanwhile, rickshaw-pullers in the town have raised fares from Tk 20 to Tk 30/40.
A small-sized green coconut is being sold at Tk 100 while a big-size one at Tk120-130. A watermelon (medium size) is being sold at Tk 500.
Day labourers are also exhausted with the hot spell and many of them remain absent from work because of scorching heat.
Ridwan Hossain, an IPS trader, has told the FE, ''Many people are buying electric fans at high rates and also buying IPS batteries for IPS connections to beat the hot spell during frequent load-shedding.