People shiver in biting cold

People are shivering in the chilly wind as Bangladesh is in the throes of a severe cold wave, sweeping over the north-western part of the country. 

All through the day, several parts of the country, as well as the sky, remained covered with thick fog on Sunday. Even when the sun was visible, its rays did not reach many areas. 

According to the meteorological office, the temperature in Rajarhat of Kurigram dropped to 5.5 degree Celsius on Sunday, the lowest temperature recorded in the country this year. This intense cold spell will continue till 2 February, after which the temperature will gradually begin to climb.

Winter usually hits Bangladesh during the month of January. After two mild cold waves in mid-December and mid-January, the third cold wave arrived at the end of January.

The minimum temperature recorded in Rajshahi on Sunday was 5.7 degrees Celsius. Besides, Chuadanga and Ishwardi recorded 6.2 degrees Celsius; Badalgachhi and Syedpur recorded 6.5 degrees Celsius. The temperature in Bogra, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Tentulia, Dimla, Jessore and Srimangal ranged between 6 to 7 degrees Celsius. In Dhaka, it was 11.6 degrees Celsius. 

Senior meteorologist Shahinul Islam said that a severe cold wave is currently travelling over Kurigram and Rajshahi region.

Shahinul said the cold wave will continue. Temperatures in Chattogram and Barisal divisions may drop slightly on Monday.

A mild cold wave is when the minimum temperature drops to 8-10 degrees Celsius across a large area; a moderate cold wave is characterized by temperatures between 6-7 degrees Celsius; a severe cold wave is when temperatures drop to 4-6 degrees Celsius.

The cold wave started last Thursday in Gopalganj, Sitakunda, Comilla, Srimangal, Rajshahi, Pabna, Jessore and Chuadanga regions, including Rangpur division. Earlier, a mild to moderate cold wave hit Rangpur, Rajshahi, Kushtia and Jessore regions between 16-23 December and 26-31 December.

According to the meteorological office, the weather is expected to be mainly dry across the country on Monday. Dense fog could prevail from Sunday midnight to Monday morning.

Minimum temperature recorded in Kurigram

Kurigram has seen the lowest temperature in the country since Saturday, with the Meteorological Office recording 5.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday. 

Sources said that this may last for a few days. On 19 December, the minimum temperature in the district dropped to 6.6 degrees Celsius.

The country's lowest temperature of 2.8 degree Celsius was recorded on 8 January 2016 at Tetulia in Panchagarh.

When temperatures first began to get tracked in Bangladesh, the lowest recorded in the country was 2.8 degrees Celsius on February 4, 1968 in Srimangal. In Dhaka, temperature was 5.6 degree Celsius on February 18 and 20, 1964.