The primary and mass education ministry on Saturday gave directives to keep all the government primary schools, Shishu Kalyan Trust schools and Bureau of Non-Formal Education learning centres for seven days from Sunday due to ongoing heatwave in parts of Bangladesh.

A press release issued by the ministry on Saturday also said that these schools would be closed between April 21 and April 27.

The director general of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education professor Nehal Ahmed said that he had no information about closing of the secondary level schools and colleges.

Earlier, in another press release, the primary and mass education ministry gave another directive to keep the assembly at all government primary schools across the country closed until further notice.

The government primary schools were scheduled to be opened on Sunday after eid vacation.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department on Saturday said that severe heatwave is sweeping Khulna division and Rajshahi, Pabna and Tangail districts.

The heatwave condition will remain unchanged for the five days commencing 9:00am on Saturday, the BMD predicted.

The country’s highest temperature was recoded in Chuadanga at 41 degree Celsius on Friday. The district also experienced the season’s highest temperature in the previous three days.

A mild to moderate heatwave is sweeping  Barishal division, rest part of Dhaka and Rajshahi divisions and Chandpur and Moulvibazar districts and it may continue, it said.

On Friday, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department issued a 72-hour nationwide heat alert starting from the day, saying the ongoing heatwave is expected to continue in most parts of the country.

‘Discomfort might increase due to high humidity during this period,’ said a BMD warning signed by meteorologist Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik.