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Several cold waves in January 

Shivering cold weather along with fog and wind disrupted normal life across the country, especially in the northern region, on Thursday. 

Appearances of people on roads and outdoors were seen to be thin at places. 

Children and elderly people were the most sufferers being exposed to cold related diseases, including cough, respiratory problem, diarrhoea and pneumonia.

This January is likely to experience several cold waves across the country, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. 

On Thursday the lowest temperature, 9.8 degrees celsius, was recorded in Chuadanga as a mild cold wave swept through parts of the country.

The cold weather is expected to persist for a few more days, with moderate to dense fog during midnight till noon, according to the Met Office.

‘One to two moderate to severe cold waves and two to three mild cold waves are likely in January,’ said Omar Faruk, a meteorologist at the Met Office.

Since Thursday morning, fog has disrupted life across the country while throughout the day no sunlight was seen in the capital and most parts of the country.

In the capital, sunlight was not seen throughout the day while wind made the people shivering with cold.

The attendance of people swan thin on the roads compared with other weekdays. 

In Dhaka, the lowest temperature was recorded at 13.8C. 

¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· correspondent in Rangpur reported that for the past two days the cold wave kept sweeping over the Rangpur region. 

As the sun remained invisible, people rarely came out of the houses amid fog and attendance in the schools remained very thin. 

People living in the river basin areas, especially the char people, and the daily wage earners have been affected the most.

A rickshaw puller, Nuru Miah, 35, at Mahadebpur of the city said, his daily income was halved.

Motorised vehicles have to ply on the roads and highways switching the headlight on. 

The Met Office in-charge in the district, Mostafizur Rahman, said the inclement weather was likely to continue for three more days.   

Rangpur Medical College and Hospital sources said that the number of cold-related patients, especially children and elderly people, at the hospital kept rising.

¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· correspondent in Kushtia reported that people were suffering due to the chilly and foggy weather.

Presence of people on the roads was thin. 

¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· correspondent in Rajshahi reported that people were facing difficulties in doing daily chores outside due to the chilly wind. 

According to the Met Office daily bulletin released on Thursday, moderate to dense fog may occur over the country during midnight till noon. 

Air navigation, inland river transport and road communication may be disrupted temporarily due to thick fog between Thursday and Saturday while the weather may remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country, the weather forecast said.

The bulletin added that due to dense fog, feelings of cold might persist at places during daytime.

The Met Office long-term weather forecast for January read that one or two moderate to severe cold waves were likely to sweep over the west, northwest, north and northeastern parts of the country and two to three mild to moderate cold waves were likely to sweep elsewhere over the country.

The temperature ranges between 4C and 6C during severe cold waves, 6C and 8C during moderate cold waves and 8C and 10C during  mild cold waves.

One or two low pressure is likely to form over the South Bay of Bengal while one of the low pressure systems may intensify into a depression, the forecast said.

Due to less difference between day and night temperature, the feeling of cold may increase. 

Moderate and dense fog may occur at north, northeastern, west, southwestern and central parts of the country and river basins and light and moderate fog may occur elsewhere over the country. 

The average daily sunshine hour may be five to seven hours in this month, said the forecast.