The New Nation - Internet Edition

Cold bites severer than hunger. City dwellers,
especially the homeless ones, are experiencing this bite
over last five days, Photo shows a forlorn mother with two
of her cold bitten children on the Dhaka protection dam.
Banglar Chokh

UNB, Dhaka

The sweeping foggy weather coupled with shivering cold would continue for at least two days more in the country's northern and central parts.

"The sun is hardly visible during daytime due to thick fog, causing nearly the same temperature during day and night in northern districts like Rangpur, Dinajpur, Bogra and Mymensingh, and the central parts, including Dhaka, Shariatpur, Madaripur and Comilla," meteorologist Abdul Mannan told UNB yesterday.

He said in most places of the regions the night temperature is 3-4 degrees lower than the normal temperature due to the foggy weather.

Mannan, however, said this is not cold wave, but foggy weather that started on December 10 and deteriorated Thursday (Dec 18).

He forecast that the situation may improve after two days when the day temperature would rise while the night temperature fall 3-4 degrees Celsius.

In its today's bulletin, the Met Office said the country's highest temperature 28.5 degrees Celsius was recorded in Sylhet, while the lowest 13.5 in Srimongal.

Meanwhile, the sweeping cold has disrupted normal life in the country' s northern region and the central parts, forcing many people to stay indoors during the weekend.

Hospital sources said the rush of patients, mostly children, affected by cold-related diseases has marked a rise in the last few days due to the bad weather.

Traffic movement on roads, highways and waterways and air flights were also being disrupted due to poor visibility caused by thick fogs.

Ferry services on different routes were also being disrupted everyday, inflicting immense sufferings on long-haul passengers and causing huge traffic jams.