Country shivers as mercury stays low

Bitter cold coupled with fog has been disrupting people's daily lives across the country.

People of low-income group are facing double blow as they have to go out for work amid bone-chilling cold.

The lowest temperature 7.0 degrees Celsius was recorded at Rajarhat of Kurigram and Tentulia of Panchagarh yesterday.

"Mild to moderate cold wave is sweeping over Rangpur division and the regions of Gopalganj, Sitakunda, Feni, Sreemangal, Pabna, Badalgachhi, Jashore, Kumarkhali, Chuadanga, Barishal and Bhola," said a weather bulletin.

"It may continue," said the bulletin of Bangladesh Meteorological Department yesterday.

"Night temperature may rise slightly and day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country," said the bulletin.

The Met office forecast for 24 hours was released at 6:00pm yesterday.

"Weather may remain dry over the country. Moderate to thick fog may occur at places between midnight and morning," the bulletin added.

In Lalmonirhat and Kurigram, the sky was covered with dense fog all day yesterday. Vehicles were seen moving with headlights on. Cold-related diseases are spreading fast in the two districts.

Many were seen trying to keep warm by setting straw on fire. People gathered in markets and on footpaths to buy second-hand warm clothes.

"It is very hard to pull rickshaws in the cold. But we have to do it as there is no alternative for us," said Mazidul Islam, a rickshaw-puller of Refugee Colony area in Lalmonirhat town.

Contacted, Kamruzzaman Suzan, Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila parishad chairman, and Uttam Kumar Roy, Sadar upazila nirbahi officer, said they were distributing blankets and other things to the cold-hit poor people.

In Nilphamari, the situation slightly improved yesterday as the sun was visible.

But the local Met official said the temperature might fall at night.

[Our correspondents in Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari contributed to this report]