Amid the heatwave sweeping across the country, a video of students holding umbrellas to save themselves from water sprayed by the UIU authorities has gone viral on social media.
Some speculated this was the United International University’s attempt to create artificial rain to give some respite to students.
Others poked fun at the video.
“You won’t be spared from classes no matter what,” one commenter said in reference to some universities shifting to online classes amid the heatwave.
But what is actually going on?
According to students, this was not a plot to change the weather after all.
Rather, it was only a “Fire Fighting Drill.”
The university had given prior notice to its students and staff members that a “Building Evacuation Practice” will be organised with the assistance of the “Fire Service and Civil Defence of Bangladesh” between 11:00am to 12:30pm today (21 April).
A fire alarm was sounded after 11am, following which students were evacuated from the building through fire exits.
They then gathered at the university field while water was sprayed onto the building, which took the form of a drizzle for the students standing below.
Citizens across the country have been grappling with heatwave. In Dhaka, where UIU is located, temperatures peaked at 38.2 degrees Celsius temperature as of 3:00pm today.
The season’s highest temperature in the capital Dhaka was recorded at 40.4 degrees Celsius on Saturday and the country’s highest temperature was recorded in Jashore at 42.6 degrees Celsius, which was also the season’s high for the country.
The BMD has issued a warning that the heat wave condition will remain unchanged for the five days commencing 9:00am on Saturday (20 April).