I fell asleep after the electricity came back at 2 AM. I woke up at 5 AM, performed the Fajr prayer, and then couldn't sleep again out of fear that it would soon be 8 AM. Due to school starting so early, the entire day began with sleep still in my eyes. The intense heat has also resulted in very low student attendance, but I still came to school. After all, it is a government directive," said a primary school teacher from Pirojpur.

Although the teacher did not explicitly express anger, the frustration was evident. In their opinion, it would have been better if the school had reopened a week later. The classrooms are extremely hot, and the fans are ineffective. The teacher mentioned that many parents have also expressed their dissatisfaction with the current situation.

For the past several days, a severe heatwave has been sweeping across the country, prompting the government to extend school holidays during the Eid-ul-Fitr break and issue a heat alert. Despite the ongoing heatwave, the directive to reopen schools has sparked frustration among teachers, students, and parents nationwide.

Parents express concern, noting that considering the safety of children, the government could have postponed school reopening by at least another week. The heat makes it difficult for children to study or stay comfortable, and the situation is exacerbated by frequent power cuts during the night, especially in rural areas where teachers and students express extreme dissatisfaction.

According to a notification from the Meteorological Department on Sunday morning, a moderate to severe heatwave is persisting across the country, including the capital, Dhaka, and is expected to continue for another 72 hours. The high humidity levels are likely to increase discomfort.

Schools across the capital, like the rest of the country, started classes at 8 AM on Sunday. Parents ensured their children arrived at school before the heat intensified, while also advising them on how to stay healthy in the heat. They cautioned their children against outdoor activities, including playing sports or running around with friends, to avoid the worst of the heat.

Previously, on Saturday (April 27), the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education announced that primary schools would reopen on Sunday (April 28) after a week's holiday but that school hours would be reduced. According to the new decision, classes would only run until 11:30 AM.

The press release stated that government primary schools would continue class activities on April 28. Schools operating in one shift would run from 8 AM to 11:30 AM, while schools with two shifts would see the first shift from 8 AM to 9:30 AM and the second shift from 9:45 AM to 11:30 AM.

However, until further notice, pre-primary classes will remain closed, and morning assemblies will be suspended until the heatwave subsides to manageable levels. The decision to continue class activities in government primary schools, Primary Education Welfare Trust-run schools, and Non-formal Education Bureau learning centers takes into account the health risks to young children due to the ongoing heatwave.