A sweeping cold wave has gripped Bangladesh's northern and south-western districts, plunging temperature to season lows and leaving millions shivering in fog laden mornings.
Biting winds and bone chilling nights in Jashore, Gopalganj, Rajshahi, Meherpur, and Bogura have disrupted daily life, forcing labourers off fields, thinning crowds on roads, and swelling hospitals with cold related patients.
JASHORE: Jashore recorded the lowest temperature for the third time this season, plunging to 7.8°C. The bone chilling cold left people and livestock visibly distressed. After a night of relentless shivering, residents woke to even harsher conditions as fog and icy winds swept across the district.
Though the sun broke through after 10 a.m., the cold persisted, with the northern wind keeping temperatures low. The hardship was particularly acute in rural areas, where many agricultural workers were forced to abandon fields during the ongoing Boro season. Some tried to keep warm by lighting fires, but the cold wave showed little sign of easing, according to the weather office.
Over the past week, temperatures in Jashore have fluctuated between 7°C and 13°C.
Social organisations have stepped in to distribute blankets and warm clothing among the poor and destitute. However, no official government relief has yet been reported. When contacted, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Sujon Sarkar said he had no information about any government led distribution programme.
GOPALGANJ: On Wednesday, the district recorded the lowest temperature in the country at 7.5°C. Thick fog and bone chilling winds left residents shivering, while hospitals reported a rise in cold related illnesses. The weather office warned that the cold spell is likely to persist for at least two more days, despite a slight rise in temperature.
Throughout the day, drizzle like particles accompanied by biting winds intensified the chill. The sun has remained hidden for two to three days, with visibility dropping below 200 metres. Humidity stood at 97 percent, leaving roads nearly deserted. Few rickshaws and vans were seen, with drivers waiting idly for passengers. Vehicles moved with headlights on, navigating through the dense fog.
Hospitals reported increasing numbers of patients suffering from cold related ailments, particularly children and the elderly. Their condition has become precarious as the cold wave continues.
Farmers, too, are struggling. With the boro season underway, cultivation has slowed as workers are unable to remain in the fields. Officials warned that if the situation persists, transplanting of paddy seedlings could be delayed, putting crops at risk.
Abu Sufian, Acting Officer at the Gopalganj weather office, said temperatures may rise slightly in the coming days, but the severity of the cold will remain unchanged. This year's lowest temperature nationwide was recorded in Gopalganj on Wednesday.
RAJSHAHI: A mild cold wave is sweeping over the district. At around 6:30 am on Wednesday, December 31, the city recorded the season's lowest temperature of 8.4 degree Celsius, with relative humidity reaching 100 per cent.
For the past three days, residents along the Padma River have not seen the sun. The combination of thick fog and chilling winds has intensified the cold, hitting the poor and daily wage earners the hardest. Daily life has been severely disrupted. Homeless and low-income people are struggling through freezing nights, often burning straw to keep warm.
In the city's Bhadra slum, 70-year-old Marjina Begum said, "There's hardly any warm clothing left. Earlier, some blankets were distributed, but this year none have come. Surviving this cold is a real struggle." The winter chill is affecting city life too, with streets emptying and shops closing soon after afternoon. Residents in Baneshwar noted that rural areas feel even colder due to open fields and fog.
The divisional health department reported a rise in patients with cold-related illnesses at both government and private clinics, especially among children and the elderly. According to the meteorological office, the cold could worsen once cloud cover and drizzle subside.
Rajshahi Weather Office Acting Officer Rahidul Islam said, "The cold intensified from around 3:15 am on Wednesday. Fog has increased since early morning, creating a drizzly effect. This situation may persist for a few more days across Rajshahi and the north-western region."
MEHERPUR: A thick fog and gusty cold wind have paralysed normal life in the district for the last six days, affecting both people and domestic animals. The sun remains invisible for almost half the day, causing significant setbacks to daily activities.
Due to the prevailing cold and foggy weather, people are forced to stay indoors, hampering business and official work. Day-labourers must seek work in unbearable conditions yet are not finding enough to meet their pressing needs.
While Meherpur has no meteorological office, sources from a neighbouring district's Met Office report temperatures in the region ranging from 8 to 11 degree Celsius, with the mercury fluctuating frequently.
On Thursday morning, vehicular movement on the highways was thin due to poor visibility caused by dense fog.
The poor and ultra-poor, especially elderly people, are the worst sufferers due to a lack of warm clothes. People are now thronging wayside shops selling old winter garments, where prices are higher than in previous years.
Muktar Hossain, a poor day-labourer from Patkelpota Village in the Sadar upazila, purchased old warm clothes for his family from a makeshift shop at the cattle market. He said the cost is beyond his capacity, being much higher than last year.
In some rural areas, poor people were seen trying to mitigate the pinching cold by burning hay and straw.
Dr AKM Abu Sayed, Civil Surgeon, said no alarming situation due to cold-related diseases has been found in the district. While some children have been admitted to hospital with such illnesses, the numbers are not concerning.
When asked, Dr Mahbub, Acting Resident Medical Officer of the 250-Bed Meherpur General Hospital, expressed his inability to provide the actual figures.
Conversely, Superintendent of Meherpur General Hospital Dr Bulbul Kabir said, many patients, including children, are undergoing treatment for cold-related diseases.
DC Dr Sayed Inamul Kabir stated that blankets are being distributed to cold-hit people through district and upazila administrations and union parishads. More than 3,000 blankets remain available in stock.
BOGURA: A biting cold wave has left residents of Bogura shivering, with temperatures dipping steadily over the past week. On Thursday (January 1), the district recorded its lowest temperature of the season at 11°C, down from 11.4°C the previous day. The chill sweeping across Bogura and the northern belt has virtually paralyzed daily life.
Low income groups are bearing the brunt of the cold. Day-labourers, rickshaw pullers, and the homeless have been hit hardest, many left without work and struggling to survive. The piercing wind from the north and the persistent fog have disrupted normal activities. Although the sun appeared briefly on Wednesday after eight days, its warmth was no match for the cold.
Crowds thronged roadside stalls and makeshift markets in search of warm clothes, where prices are considerably lower than in shopping malls. Many found these affordable options a relief amid the biting weather.
A senior observer at the district meteorological office explained that the intensity of the cold has been aggravated by the narrowing gap between maximum and minimum temperatures. On Tuesday, Bogura recorded a minimum of 12.5°C and a maximum of 15.5°C. Between December 24 and 31, the sun was barely visible, further intensifying the chill.
Farmers, however, continue to brave the cold. Despite the freezing conditions, many low income workers ventured into fields to sow potato seeds, though most struggled to remain outdoors for long. In the town centre, labourers waiting to sell their services were seen huddled together, passing idle hours in the cold.
