Seasons in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has six different seasons . Season is one of the divisions of a year according to weather. Its number and features vary from country to country. In Bangladesh, There are six seasons such as summer, the rainy season, early autumn, late autumn, winter and spring. Each season comprises two months, but some seasons flow into other seasons, while others are short. Actually, Bangladesh has three distinct seasons: the pre-monsoon hot season from March through May, rainy monsoon season which lasts from June through October, and a cool dry winter season from November through February. April is the hottest month in the country when mean temperature range from 27°C in the east and south to 31°C in the west-central part of the country. After April, increasing cloud-cover dampens temperature. Wind direction is variable in this season, especially during its early part. RAINFALL accounts for 10 to 25 percent of the annual total, which is caused by thunderstorms. Low temperatures, cool air blowing from the west or northwest, clear sky, and meager rainfall characterize the cool dry season. Average temperature in January varies from 17°C in the northwest and northeastern parts of the country to 20°C-21°C in the coastal areas. Minimum temperature in the extreme northwest in late December and early January reaches 3°C to 4°C. These seasons come one after another in a regular cycle. Each season has its own beauty and features. Each of them appears with it's own beauty, color, sights and sounds. So, They are:
1. Barsa - Rainy Season
2. Sarat - Autumn
3. Hemanto - Late autumn
4. Seet - Winter
5. Basanto -Spring
6. Grisma - Summer
Barsa (June to August) Rainy Season
In Bangladesh, which has both the world's largest delta system and the greatest flow of river water to the sea, water rules the earth, and so the most important season of all is barsa, a time of lashing rains and tearing winds. The Bengali year begins with summer, with the Pahela Baishakh (first day of Baishakh) being the Bangla New Year. Hindus observe many seasonal festivals during this period, including jamaisasthi (the sixth day of the bright fortnight in Jyaistha when a son-in-law is blessed by his parents-in-law). In this season, 70 percent of the land is under water – water from rivers, the sea, rain, tidal waves, floods and the melting snows of the Himalayas. The rains are at first a welcome relief from the baking, dusty hot season. But as the rains continue, the land turns into a brown and watery mass, ever- move to higher ground. During the rains, most villages are isolated, accessible only by boat. The rain has turned stagnant water fresh again. The stalks are placed on high ground to dry. Aside from the practical problems, the rains and water also inspire the poetry, art and songs of the people.
Sarat (September to October) Autumn
As September begins, the skies are blue and a cool wind blows. The land turns into a carpet of bright green rice shoots while the smell of drying jute invades the air. Flowers bloom, the rice ripens and the harvest begins. Blue, gold and green are the colours of sarat – blue sky, golden sun and green vegetation from emerald to jade, pea to lime, shamrock to sea-green. In the green fields, white Siberian cranes, egrets and ducks hunt for food. Although the air is humid, there is a slight chill late at night.
Hemanto (October to November) Late autumn
Once the land has emerged from its watery grave, it is time to replant in new, fertile soil that is rich in nutrients. During this season, the land is at its luscious best. Festivals flourish to hail the harvest, the end of the floods, the coming of the new soil and the wonder of the rivers. The country's troubadours are everywhere, dressed in bright clothes and singing for money. The land and its people come to life during hemanto, when the flowers bloom – jasmine, water lily, rose, magnolia, hibiscus and bougainvillea. By the season's end, the air is no longer humid. Fresh scents replace the dry jute smell. Hemanto marks the start of the wedding season where receptions are held under red, blue, green or white tents.
Seet (November to December) Winter
From mid-November to early January, the weather becomes more arid and less humid. Average temperatures in January vary from about 11°C in the northwestern and northeastern parts of the country to 20°C to 21°C in the coastal areas. The earth dries and dust forms. Warm clothes are pulled out. Young people play tennis, football, cricket and golf. Seet is also the season when people return to their ancestral villages, where they can experience once again the essence of Bangladesh – the harmony of man, beast, land, water and air.
Basanto (December to February) Spring
The coolest days are from mid-December to February when the days are golden with light, the flowers are blooming and the nights and early mornings are chilly. Night guards wrap themselves up in shawls and blankets with scarves and hats pulled down over their ears. Weather is normally pleasant, with 20 to 25 percent cloud-cover, comfortable temperature and moderate relative humidity. Average temperature in March varies from 22°C to 25°C all over the country, with relative humidity ranging from 50 to 70 percent. During basanto, the countryside hums with fairs, parades and commemorations. Arts festivals celebrate painting and handicrafts, poetry, music and drama. In Dhaka, basanto heralds the beginning of the social season with a frantic whirl of invitations to weddings, parties and dinners. Along with the cool weather comes the nation's silly season – politics. To a Bangladeshi, politics is what alcohol or sport is to other nations. Everyone gets involved.


Grisma (March to May) Summer
Throughout basanto, the weather warms up a bit each day until March 1, when the heat starts intensifying more rapidly. The soil turns a dusty khaki and then almost white. There are lightening and thunder storms and sometimes, icy lumps of hail crash down. The rivers dry out and are difficult to navigate. Grisma is also the peak time for the brick industry. Bricks are used for building and are a substitute for stone and gravel in Bangladesh. In the cities, the humid air is laden with dust, brick grit and auto fumes. The sun is a round red globe, beating down relentlessly. Everyone waits for the rains and the beginning of another cycle of seasons.