People in the northern and north-western districts of Bangladesh have been experiencing severe cold coupled with dense fog over the past few days, which has thrown normal life out of gear.
Day laborers, children and the elderly people in the regions are worst hit by the shivering cold. Meanwhile, farmers in many districts are worried as bone chilling cold is affecting their Boro seedbeds.
People in Dhaka city and other parts of the country are also experiencing chilly weather as a mild cold wave has been sweeping across the country. The biting cold is expected to intensify in the next two to three days. Most people preferred to stay indoors due to the cold.
The country’s lowest temperature was recorded at 8.8°C in Dinajpur on Saturday while the highest temperature was recorded at 26.4°C in Teknaf, according to Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD).
Temperature between 8°C to 10°C is considered a mild cold wave, 6°C to 8°C a moderate cold wave, and less than 6°C a severe cold wave.
A met office release issued on Saturday, the BMD said that the mild cold wave is sweeping over Rangpur division and the districts of Rajshahi, Pabna, Naogaon, Chuadanga, and Kushtia and it may continue. The weather may remain dry with a temporary partly cloudy sky over the country.
According to the BMD, moderate to thick fog will continue over the country from midnight to morning at different places in the country. Air navigation, inland river transport, and road communication may be disrupted temporarily due to dense fog.
Night and day temperatures may remain nearly unchanged over the country. Cold day conditions are likely to continue in places over the country.
Meteorologist Bajlur Rashid said that the cold wave may continue for two to three days. Meteorologist ATM Nazmul Haque also said that the cold spell to abate over the next two days gradually.
“The temperature is likely to rise from Monday or Tuesday. Rain will likely fall in the country’s western region on Thursday,” said ATM Nazmul Haque.
In its forecast, the Met Office warned of moderate to dense fog blanketing the country, potentially disrupting air, sea, and road traffic.
The dense fog and chilling winds, which have been sweeping through parts of the country over the past few days, obscured the sun until the afternoon.
As the winter has intensified, the sales of warm clothes rose at makeshift roadside shops in Dhaka city and other parts of the country. Shops of warming clothes draw huge crowds at night, and the sale of clothes and blankets has increased comparatively in the past few days.
The people of the country are advised to take necessary precautions, and the authorities concerned are urged to monitor and manage potential disruption to transportation and daily activities.
Meanwhile, sixteen children died at Rangpur Medical College Hospital from cold-related diseases, including diarrhoea and pneumonia, in the last six days. Over 300 children are currently admitted to the hospital, reports our Rangpur Correspondent.
Dr Yunus Ali, director of Rangpur Medical College Hospital, confirmed the matter.
Various diseases like pneumonia, cold diarrhoea, cold fever, and breathing difficulties have spread widely in the northern districts due to the cold wave.
Our Rajshahi Correspondent reports farmers in the region are worried about their Boro paddy. Seedlings in many seedbeds have turned yellowish and bleached due to insufficient sunlight.
However, the local agriculture officials opined that seedbeds of the region being situated comparatively on elevated ground, the situation is not yet worrying enough to damage the seedlings. The field-level officials are regularly supervising the Boro seedbeds and advising the farmers about their dos and don'ts to save the seedlings.
A delayed winter during this season has helped the smooth growth of Boro seedlings during mid-December but due to dense fog and bitter cold winter aftermath. If the seedlings at the seedbeds are damaged, it would create an adverse impact on Boro paddy production as well.
Abdus Salam, senior observator of Rajshahi Meteorological Office, said that the cold weather with the wind is likely to continue for the next one week and the fog might hang further during the daytime.
Braja Hari Das, former deputy director of the Meteorological Department of Rajshahi informed that if the adverse wintry weather and fog linger, the seedlings at the beds will be damaged but if the seedbeds get sufficient sunlight, there will be no damage to the seedlings.
However, farmers were weeding, spraying water and pesticides in their seedbeds and many farmers were covering their seedbeds with transparent polythene sheets from the afternoon to the late morning.
Farmer Belel Hossain of Koi Danga village under Charghat upazila of Rajshahi has sowed Boro seeds on four bighas of land. He would transplant Boro seedlings on three bighas of land and would sell the excess seedlings in the market.
The farmer said, there was no substantial damage to the Boro seedlings as the seedbeds are situated on elevated lands but the seedbeds are facing scarcity of water. He is irrigating the seedbeds daily resulting in an additional cost for the production of the seedlings.
Lutfun Naher, Upazila Agriculture Officer of Charghat informed, some seedbeds of Boro paddy might be damaged due to winter and fog but the seedbeds on the elevated grounds are unlikely to be damaged. The farmers are advised about the ways of saving their seedbeds during such adverse weather. There is no reason to damage the seedlings on the beds if those are taken care of properly, she added.
Our Chuadanga Correspondent reports a heavy cold wave was sweeping over Chuadanga district during the last two days. The BMD recorded 9.6 degree celcius in Chuadanga on Saturday.
Vehicles are plying with risk due to dropping fog. Labourers can not work in the crop fields for blowing cold wave. A few numbers of common people’s move on the road