People living in the capital Dhaka are reeling under the scorching heat for the last two days.
However, those living in greener areas around the capital were living in relatively cooler climates.
A large section of residential and commercial areas in Dhaka has turned into a “heat island” which has created this difference in land surface temperature between Dhaka and surrounding areas.
The maximum difference in temperature is 7 °C.
This was stated in a research article ‘Urbanization in Dhaka city and changes in the urban heat island effect’ in Springers Theoretical and Applied Climatology in February 2022.
The difference between day and night temperatures at the hottest place in Dhaka city and the coldest place outside the city was around 7 °C and 5 °C, respectively, the article said.
It is like if the temperature of Savar or Singair in Manikganj is 30°C, at that time the temperature of Tejgaon or Farmgate area of Dhaka will be 37°C. At the same time, such difference in temperature is also being seen inside Dhaka.
For example, temperatures in the zoo and botanical garden areas in Mirpur are 5 °C cooler than in Gulshan during the hottest periods of the day.