The average temperature in the country yesterday was similar to that of the previous day, but it may rise today and continue to do so over the next three or four days, the met office has said.
The highest temperature yesterday was recorded in Cox’s Bazar at 27.6 degrees Celsius, while in the capital it was 10.3 degrees Celsius. The lowest was 6.1 degrees Celsius recorded in Chuadanga, one point up from Wednesday’s lowest in Ishwardi.
The ongoing cold spell with chilly winds and dense fog sweeping across the country has wrought havoc on the lives of ordinary people, especially those of limited means in the Northern districts.
Outbreaks of cold-related diseases including pneumonia, asthma and respiratory complications were reported in districts including Kurigram, Dinajpur, Pabna, Shariatpur and Jessore.
According to sources, the dense fog disrupted road and water transportation yesterday, causing late arrivals and departures of vehicles and contributing to commuters’ sufferings.
The ferry service on the Mawa-Keurakandi and Paturia-Dawlatdia routes was suspended for about 12 hours due to the heavy fog, triggering a long tailback at both ends of the river.
Shekhar Chandra Roy, assistant manager of BIWTC, said several ferries could not leave in time because of the heavy fog. “It was dangerous to run the ferries. The passengers had to suffer as a result.”
Officials at the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation said water transport and ferry services were suspended to avoid accidents.