<div style="text-align: justify; "><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">The European Union is providing EUR 175,000 (over Tk 2 crore 22 lakh) in humanitarian funding to support the most vulnerable people exposed to the extreme temperatures as Bangladesh is facing record high temperatures, reaching over 42°C in some parts of the country in the past weeks.</span><br></b></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This EU funding supports the Bangladesh Red Crescent’s ongoing efforts to deliver relief assistance to 500,000 people affected by the heatwave.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Teams of volunteers disseminate awareness messages on heat-related illnesses and how to prevent them; run cooling stations; provide ambulance and first aid services, and distribute drinking water, umbrellas, and caps.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The support will continue in 20 districts where the temperature has exceeded 38°C in the divisions of Khulna, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Barishal and Dhaka.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The funding is part of the EU's overall contribution of €8 million to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to respond to disasters around the world.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bangladesh, one of the most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, and has seen more frequent, severe and longer heatwaves during the summer months in recent years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">High temperatures can pose grave risks to newborns and infants, as they are less able to regulate their body temperatures than adults, people with chronic diseases, and older persons, said the EU Embassy in Dhaka on Tuesday. Source: UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd/fas</div>