Bangladesh endured three days of dense fog and biting winds at the start of the new year, leaving Dhaka and other regions grappling with cold and limited sunlight. However, Saturday's morning sunshine brought a welcome reprieve, revitalising urban life.
Over the past few days, Dhaka had been enveloped in a thick blanket of fog throughout the day, leaving commuters and outdoor workers struggling in the cold.
Rickshaw-puller Md Rasel of Dhaka's Mohakhali told bdnews24.com: "This morning feels less cold compared to previous days. The past few days have been tough, with fog and freezing cold making it difficult to hold on to the rickshaw handle. I had to stop working earlier than usual at night."
Tea seller Jamal Hossain, who operates near Mohakhali's International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, or ICDDR,B, said: "The last two or three days were extremely cold. I couldn't even open my shop in the mornings. Today, with the sun out, I finally opened it early." Winter clothing vendors also reported increased sales during the cold spell.
Md Jihad, a street vendor in the area, said: "Sales were better in the past few days. People only buy warm clothes when the cold hits hard."
Afzal Hossain, a private employee from Saat Rasta in Dhaka's Tejgaon, said: "I usually leave for work at 8am and return at 8pm. The last few mornings have been very challenging due to the cold."
Dense fog disrupted river transport as ferry services on two major routes were halted overnight.
Ferry operations on the Paturia-Daulatdia route in Manikganj and the Aricha-Kazirhat route were suspended for nine and eight hours, respectively, due to poor visibility.
Md Salahuddin, manager of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation, or BIWTC, Daulatdia terminal said ferry services resumed on the Paturia-Daulatdia route at 8am on Saturday as the fog cleared.
Similarly, Nasir Mohammad Chowdhury, deputy general manager (commercial) of BIWTC, said ferry operations on the Aricha-Kazirhat route resumed at 7:40am.
Despite dense fog affecting river transport, flights at Dhaka's Shahjalal International Airport faced minimal disruption, according to Group Captain Kamrul Islam, the airport's executive director.
"There have been no diversions due to fog," Kamrul told bdnews24.com.
"However, four flights were delayed for operational reasons," he said.
The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, or BRTA, issued safety guidelines for driving in foggy conditions, urging drivers to maintain low speeds, use low-beam headlights, and avoid unnecessary overtaking.
The railway ministry also advised personnel to remain vigilant, especially at level crossings.
Pedestrians were also urged to exercise caution when crossing unprotected level crossings.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department said the cold wave was expected to ease in the next two days, with temperatures likely to rise during the day and also at night.
Meteorologist Afroza Sultana told bdnews24.com: "The sun is already out in Dhaka today. Clear skies are expected from Jan 5 to Jan 7, though there's a slight chance of drizzling in the northern region during this period. Dhaka is unlikely to see rain."
Temperatures are expected to dip again around Jan 8.
The department's regular morning bulletin on Saturday indicated mostly dry weather with partly cloudy skies nationwide over the next 24 hours.
Moderate to dense fog is likely from midnight to morning, which could persist in some areas until noon.
Night temperatures may rise slightly, while daytime temperatures are expected to increase by one to two degrees Celsius.
A mild cold wave is sweeping over the northern district of Panchagarh, where the lowest temperature of the day was recorded at 9.4 degrees Celsius in Tentulia.
Other low temperatures recorded include 11 degrees Celsius in Jashore, 11.4 degrees Celsius in Kushtia's Kumarkhali, and 11.8 degrees Celsius in Nilphamari's Syedpur.
Dhaka's minimum temperature stood at 13 degrees Celsius, while Teknaf recorded the highest at 28.2 degrees Celsius.
