Surviving Dhaka’s summer: A guide to keeping you cool
Summer in Dhaka is not merely a "mean" sun; it can be characterised as part of a survival game. With the mercury at times rising to 43 degrees Celsius, the sun often appears to have taken our dear city for a giant tandoori oven. As an experienced veteran of Dhaka's ruthless summers, one can give you some cheeky yet highly effective advice for keeping your cool when the city decides to turn up the heat.
The dress codes
What should the first rule at the Dhaka Summer Club be? Dress as if you are going for a beach party — sans sand and sea, of course. It should be loose and light-coloured clothing. Whites and pastels are your best friends because they reflect sunlight. Otherwise, you will feel like a walking barbecue skewer.
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Fabrics matter too: cotton and linen are the two breezy buddies of your skin. So, leave all those synthetic nightmares behind unless you want to become a walking sauna.
Talcum tactics
And here's our secret weapon: Talcum powder. Yes, you can laugh, but a good coating of talcum powder can save you from becoming a sticky mess. Dust talcum powder liberally in those areas of susceptibility to sweating. It also helps in the absorption of moisture and reduces friction: in simple words, say goodbye to those skin rashes irritating you.
Accessorise wisely
Your shade of comfort in Dhaka, carrying a solid umbrella would be a must. Do pick one with a reflective lining to stay away from those pesky UV rays, and do sunglasses count? Make sure that your eyes are protected from squinting, which only adds to premature wrinkles!
Hydration and water splashes: Your tropical elixir
So, if the streets of Dhaka are hotter than hell in April/May, the only healthy suggestion would be water, and plenty of it, to beat the heat. Keep a water bottle close by and jazz it up with cucumber, mint, or lemon slices; it's a bottled spa day!
And for those who want a good dose of caffeine but without all the fiery furnaces, iced coffee or iced tea it is. Your body will very much thank you.
Plus, if and whenever you get the chance, splash your face with water, wash those sweat off with a proper facewash and feel instantaneously refreshed.
Embrace the fan club
Electric fans, hand fans, ceiling fans. During summer, every fan is your best friend. The portable hand fans can at least be a saviour when one finds him/herself jammed up in a bus or waiting at a traffic light that seems to be fixed on red just to check his level of patience. And do not get me started on the power outages; a battery-operated fan truly makes a difference.
With all that said, we hope that you will be able to somehow go through the scorching fire of the tropical summer with a little bit more grace and a lot less sweat. Because, remember—it's all about keeping your cool, literally, and figuratively. Because, C'mon, if we can take Dhaka at 43 degrees, we can take anything.
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