Cold spell likely to linger on

After weeks of cold waves, the temperature, particularly during the daytime, marked a rise yesterday as early morning rains in parts of the country helped dissipate the dense fog that had been blanketing the nation.

"Day temperatures are likely to remain warmer, with night temperatures falling slightly across the country," said AKM Nazmul Haque, meteorologist of Bangladesh Meteorological Department.

"People who have been bearing the brunt of the chilling cold waves will start to get some respite in the coming days," Nazmul added.

He said rainfall in parts of the country on Wednesday and Thursday cleared the dense fog that had spread from Delhi to the southern region of Bangladesh.

However, moderate to thick fog may occur over the river basins and light to moderate fog elsewhere across the country from midnight to dawn, he added.

Transports by air, river, and road will experience less disruption in navigation as the density of fog decreases, Nazmul also said.

The lowest temperature in the country, 9.7 degrees Celsius, was recorded in Tentulia yesterday, and no other district experienced a cold wave.

"Some parts of Rangpur division may face cold waves on Saturday, but chances of cold waves in other parts of the country are low," Nazmul said.

In Dhaka, the lowest temperature was recorded at 15 degrees Celsius yesterday, according to the Met office.

In Kurigram and Lalmonirhat, the northern border districts nearest the Himalayas have been miserable due to continuous cold waves since January 8.

Subal Chandra Sarkar, in charge of Kurigram's Rajarhat Agricultural Meteorological Observatory, told The Daily Star that the minimum temperature was recorded at 10.1 degrees Celsius at 9:00am but the lowest temperature was recorded at 9 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning.

Daily activities were disrupted as many preferred staying in and refrained from leaving their homes without any emergency.

Day labourer Soleman Ali, 58, of Char Jatrapur area on the bank of Brahmaputra River in Kurigram Sadar upazila, said his family did not have enough winter clothes and they stayed warm by lighting makeshift campfires.

Farmer Mahidul Islam, 48, a farmer of Char Gokunda on the bank of the Teesta River in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila, said he went to the maize field at 9:00am to irrigate the field yesterday but could not stay there even for half an hour due to the cold.

"The sudden outbreak of cold has made our life miserable," he added.

Lalmonirhat Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ullah said the government-allocated blankets were being distributed among the cold-hit people.

Besides, various non-governmental organisations, institutions, and individuals are also distributing blankets among the cold-hit distressed people, he added.