Cold wave may end in a day or 2

The ongoing cold spell that causes immense sufferings to the people may continue for next two or three days.

"Temperature is rising gradually and the trend will continue. The cold wave may end by next two or three days," said Ruhul Quddus, a meteorologist of Bangladesh Meteorological Department.

"There is no possibility of further cold wave in the coming days. Mercury may fall in some places for one or two days in the next week. But no cold wave is likely to happen further," he told The Daily Star last evening.

Meanwhile, a weather bulletin yesterday said mild to moderate cold wave is sweeping over Rajshahi, Rangpur and Barishal divisions.

Besides, people of some places of Tangail, Faridpur, Madaripur, Gopalganj, Kishoreganj, Mymensingh, Sandwip, Sitakunda, Rangamati, Cumilla, Hatiya, Sreemangal, Satkhira, Jashore and Kushtia experienced mild cold wave, said the bulletin.

"Moderate to thick fog may occur at places over the river basins of the country and light to moderate fog may occur elsewhere over the country from midnight to morning," the bulletin added.

Night and day temperature may rise by one to two degrees Celsius over the country.

The weather forecast for the next 24 hours was released at 9:00am yesterday.

Yesterday's lowest temperature was recorded at 6.3 degrees Celsius in Chuadanga, said the Met office report.

People, especially those who earn daily wages, of Chuadanga and Kushtia are passing hard days due to the bone-chilling cold.

"Pulling rickshaw is my only income source. But I cannot pull the rickshaw due to severe cold. The weather is so adverse that people don't dare to come out of home without any emergency," said Sobed Ali, a rickshaw- puller in Kushtia town.

Farmers are also facing difficulties working in their croplands due to bitter cold and dense fog.

Abdul Alim, a farmer of Sundarganj village in Chuadanga's Alamdanga, said, "I have been sitting idle inside home for the last three days because I cannot go to croplands due to cold."

[Our correspondent in Kushtia contributed to this report.]