Thousands of worshippers in predominantly Muslim- Bangladesh have prayed for rain amid a scorching heatwave in the South Asian country that began around a week ago.
Dhaka Met office on Thursday renewed its warning that the heatwave sweeping across the country would persist for three more days.
"Increased moisture incursion is a factor contributing to the sustained uncomfortable conditions," said meteorologist Shaheenul Islam.
Authorities shut schools across Bangladesh for a week when the meteorological department issued the first warning of a severe heatwave nationwide on April 19.
With the new warning issued, thousands of people in different parts of Bangladesh, including the capital Dhaka, joined prayer sessions in line with Islamic tradition to seek blessings and for rain to come.
"Now is the time for soul-searching. We must pray to the Allah and seek his blessing," said Rezaul Karim, a leader of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, the largest Islamic political party in the country, after a prayer session in Dhaka. The party arranged similar sessions nationwide in the hope of rain.
He said more than 50,000 people across the country joined the prayers.
The heatwave began in Bangladesh last week, with the daily maximum temperature hitting around 40 degrees Celsius throughout the period.
The highest temperature of the season was reported at 42.6 degrees Celsius on Saturday in the south-western district of Jessore. Dhaka's maximum temperature was 40.4 degrees Celsius that day.
Azizur Rahman, head of Bangladesh's meteorological department, said April is the warmest month in Bangladesh, bringing higher temperatures, which is not abnormal.
