A chilling cold wave accompanied by dense fog has severely disrupted daily life in Gopalganj, where the nation’s lowest temperature of 10.2°C was recorded early Thursday.
The biting cold, compounded by icy winds and high humidity of 96%, has intensified the suffering, especially as the sun remains obscured by dense fog. The harsh weather conditions have brought extreme hardship to the impoverished, homeless and daily laborers, many of whom lack warm clothing.
Laborers have been struggling to work under such conditions. Raju, a 25-year-old road construction worker, said, "It's incredibly tough to work in this cold. The fog and wind make it unbearable, and coming to work early in the morning was extremely challenging."
Masud, a building construction worker, said the sentiment: "Yesterday wasn’t this cold. Suddenly, the temperature dropped and now it's hard to bear. My hands are freezing while working, but I still have to work to survive."
Many low-income residents are flocking to second-hand clothing shops to purchase warm garments, while hospitals are witnessing an increase in patients suffering from cold-related illnesses, particularly children and the elderly.
According to Abu Sufian, acting officer at the Gopalganj Meteorological Office, the district recorded the lowest temperature in the country at 10.2°C, with 96% humidity at 6am. “The dense fog, combined with mild icy winds from the north, has amplified the cold sensation. The maximum temperature yesterday was 24.6°C,” he highlighted.
Sufian also warned that temperatures might dip further in the next three days, potentially triggering a cold wave across the district.
