C T Online Desk: A mild cold wave kept sweeping parts of Bangladesh on Friday, despite a fair increase in temperature all over the country.
‘The temperature may slightly increase over the next two days before dropping again on January 16,’ said meteorologist Omar Faruque.
The mild cold wave was sweeping Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions and 11 other districts – Faridpur, Madaripur, Manikganj, Moulvibazar, Cumilla, Feni, Jashore, Chuadanga, Kushtia, Barishal, and Bhola – according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department on Wednesday.
Parts of Bangladesh could experience light rain today and tomorrow, the Met Office warned, adding that the sky might remain cloudy, leading to a slight increase in temperature.
On Friday, the lowest night-time temperature of 8C was recorded in Dinajpur, after nearly a 2C rise in the temperature compared with Thursday, when the season’s lowest night-time temperature of 6.3C was recorded in Chuadanga.
The day-time temperature, on the other hand, increased similarly. The day-time temperature in Dhaka rose to 26.6C on Friday from 23.4C the day before.
On Friday, the minimum temperature in Dhaka was 11.8 C.
The Met Office also issued a warning about moderate to thick fog across Bangladesh for today.
New Age correspondent in Lalmonirhat reported six deaths in the Rangpur division due to cold-related diseases in the 24 hours until Friday morning.
Of the new deaths, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram reported two deaths each, while Rangpur and Dinajpur reported one death each.
Cold-related diseases are straining resource-scarce public hospitals in the north, with scores of children hospitalised every day.
Only critical patients are being admitted to the hospital, indicating the massive toll winter is taking on public health.
Scores of people have officially lost their lives due to cold-related diseases in the country since November.
The India Meteorological Department predicted dense fog to engulf isolated pockets over sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, Assam and Meghalaya, and Tripura during the next 48 hours, ending at 1:00 pm on Friday.
