Now that the intense bone-chilling cold has started to dissipate in parts of the country after last week’s severe cold wave, it is forecast that light rain and even thunder showers may occur in six divisions.
In its latest 24-hour forecast, effective from 9qm, the Met office said light rain or thunder shower is likely to occur at one or two places over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Dhaka and Khulna divisions.
Weather may remain dry with partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country, Bangladesh Meteorological Department mentioned in a latest bulletin, adding, light to moderate fog may occur at places over the country during late night to Sunday morning.
It further said that night temperature may rise by 1-2 degrees Celsius and day temperature may fall slightly over the country.
Mentionable, yesterday the country’s highest temperature (31 degrees Celsius) was recorded in Sitakunda upazila of Chittagong.
Today’s minimum temperature is 8.3 degrees Celsius as recorded at Sreemangal upazila of Sylhet.
Meanwhile, cold continues to disrupt normal activities in several parts of Bangladesh including the northern district of Naogaon.
Hospitals in the upazila have been crowded with patients, particularly children and the elderly, suffering from cold-related illnesses, such as diarrhoea and pneumonia.
Thick layer of fog and a chilling cold wave is disrupting everyday life in the region. The sun is hiding behind the clouds for most of the day. Dense fog in the area leads to low visibility, causing problems for commuters.
Meanwhile, thousands of cold-hit helpless poor people from eight unions of the upazila have become unemployed for not being able to work due to the severe drop temperatures, reports a correspondent from Naogaon.
Shops in and around different markets of the upazila remained mostly closed the past few days for the cold keeps the locals cosy in their homes.
Still, low-income people are leaving their homes to find work. These people suffer the most because they do not have adequate winter clothing to withstand the terrible weather.
Although the government distributed winter clothes and blankets in some parts of the upazila, it was insufficient compared to the demand.
Arafat Ali, a day labourer from Bhopara village in Atrai upazila, said: “We belong to the working class of people. If we don’t work, we don’t eat. Winter brings difficult times for us. However, in spite of the cold mornings, I have been working on wet paddy fields all winter. But there were days, when I couldn’t go to work owing to the bone-chilling weather outside.”
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sanaul Islam said only a limited amount of warm clothes had been allocated by disaster management and relief ministry for the cold hit poor people in the upazila.
So, he urged the well-off individuals in the society and different socio-economic organizations of the country to stand beside the cold affected people with helping hands as part of their social responsibility.
