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Country in grip of bone-biting cold

The poor, elderly worst sufferers

  • Staff Correspondent
  • 7 January, 2023 12:00 AM
  • Print news
Country in grip of bone-biting cold
People are feeling the pinch of bone-chilling cold coupled with dense fog across the country, including capital. Covered in warm clothes, a man keeps his little daughter on the lap to protect her from cold. The photo was taken from Agargaon in the capital on Friday. – Kamrul Islam Ratan

The bone-biting cold wave accompanied by dense fog was continuing to sweep across different places of the country on Friday, affecting normal life.

Although a mild cold wave is sweeping through some parts of the country, people feel moderate-to-severe cold in the northern, northwestern and central parts, according to Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD).

Due to difference between day and night temperatures, people feel severe cold, it said.

A mild cold wave is sweeping across the districts of Naogaon, Dinajpur, Panchagarh, Jashore and Chuadanga and it may continue, said the Met Office.

The people, especially the elderly and low-income groups, have been suffering immensely due to the cold.

A large number of disadvantaged people are found to be living in open sky and public spaces like buses, and railway stations.

Day labourers and slum-dwellers are suffering a lot as they cannot afford to buy warm clothes.

The number of patients with cough, fever, asthma and related diseases marked a sharp rise in the last couple of days, hospital sources said.

“The temperature might be increased up to 0.5 to maximum of 2 degree Celsius after tomorrow, but the intensity of the cold will decline,” said Shahinul Islam, a meteorologist of BMD.

The day and night temperature again may fall at the end of the next week, he said.

The lowest temperature in the country was recorded at 9.0 degrees Celsius in Chuadanga on Friday while it was the same at Jashore on Thursday.

The temperature of Dhaka city drops by 5 degrees Celsius in 24 hours. The lowest temperature in Dhaka was 12 degrees Celsius on Friday while it was 12.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday, 14.1 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, 14.5 degrees Celsius Tuesday and 14.7 degrees Celsius on Monday. Moderate to thick fog may occur over the country from midnight till morning and it may continue till noon at places, the met office forecast.