<i>Winter on the wane</i>

Cool days of winter vanished as if with a rapid rise in temperature in the last three-four days. Weathermen and climate experts described this behaviour of weather as "erratic" and "unusual", which they said has been frequent in recent years.
City dwellers experienced a severe cold wave just last week, but the last three-four days have been quite warm.
Clouds originating from a westerly depression are seen in the sky of Bihar and West Bengal of India and adjoining areas of Bangladesh. A meteorologist said the cloud may cause rain in the middle and northern parts of the country today or tomorrow.
He said the present temperature is 2-4 degrees Celsius more than the usual temperature during this time of a year.
The lowest temperature in the capital was recorded 18.9 degrees Celsius yesterday while it was 12.6 degrees Celsius just five days back. The lowest temperature in Srimangal was recorded 14.5 degrees Celsius, which was 5.6 degrees Celsius last week.
"This sudden shift in temperature is unusual, which was observed earlier but they have been frequent in recent years," the meteorologist told The Daily Star yesterday evening.
Referring to scientists, he said such rapid changes are possibly linked to global warming. Temperature may fall in the coming days of this month but the winter is over, he added.
The drizzling that was imminent during last week's cold spell is not usual, Atiq Rahman, executive director of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies, told The Daily Star yesterday over telephone.
Terming such rapid shift in temperature "erratic", Atiq said such fluctuation in temperature causes various cold-related diseases.
He, however, could not say for sure if this has any links with changes in the climate or global warming.