A cold wave continued to sweep across seven districts of the country on Friday, though the affected area narrowed from 16 districts on Thursday, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Depart-ment (BMD).
The weather office said temperatures may rise slightly during the day, offering brief relief. However, the respite is expected to be short-lived, as temperatures may start falling again from Sunday.
Despite the marginal improvement elsewhere, Jashore recorded the lowest temperature in the country on Friday at 8 degrees Celsius.
BMD classifies a mild cold wave as temperatures between 8.1°C and 10°C, moderate between 6.1°C and 8°C, severe between 4.1°C and 6°C, and very severe when temperatures drop below 4°C.
The districts currently under the grip of the cold wave are Gopalganj, Jashore, Rajshahi, Pabna, Panchagarh, Kushtia and Chuadanga.
In Jashore, the biting cold has slowed public life in both urban and rural areas. Daily wage earners, the homeless and other marginalised groups are bearing the brunt, as many are forced to venture out despite the cold in search of work.
Every day, around 300 to 400 labourers usually gather on the banks of Laldighi in Jashore town to sell their labour. With the onset of severe cold, that number has dropped by nearly half. Even so, many return home empty-handed, while others wait for hours in the hope of finding work.
BMD meteorologist Shahnaz Sultana said that until 9:00am on Friday (January 2), the weather across the country may remain dry with temporarily partly cloudy skies. However, moderate to dense fog may form in different regions from midnight to morning and may linger until noon in some places.
She warned that dense fog could temporarily disrupt air traffic, inland water transport and road communication. Night temperatures are expected to remain nearly unchanged, while day temperatures may rise slightly. Despite this, foggy conditions may intensify the feeling of cold.
The forecast for the coming days indicates that from Saturday (January 3) to Sunday (January 4), the weather is likely to remain dry with temporary partial cloud cover. Both day and night temperatures may fluctuate slightly, while moderate to dense fog may continue in parts of the country.
One of the children, shown on the front page, received treatment in the pneumonia ward at Bangladesh Children's Hospital in Dhaka on Friday as a severe cold wave sweeps the country, putting vulnerable children at risk of cold-related illnesses.
