Chilly weather leaves country shivering

The ongoing chilly weather disrupted normal life Friday across the country as a mild cold wave swept across Jessore, Kushtia, Chuadanga and Ishwardi, officials said.
The grapple with the biting chill may continue for the next two to three days.
"There might be mild or moderate cold-wave further in some parts of the country after January 3, 2015," Abdul Barek, a duty officer of Central Storm Warning Centre at the Dhaka Met Office told the FE on Friday evening.
He said the density of fog might reduce within the next two to three days.

The lowest temperature recorded in Jessore was 9.4 degrees Celsius while in the capital it was 13.4 degrees Celsius on the day.
The temperature in Chuadanga was recorded at 9.5 degrees Celsius, while in Kushtia it was 9.5 degrees Celsius, in Iswardi 10 degrees Celsius, in Rajshahi 10.5 degrees Celsius, in Bogra 10.8 degrees Celsius, in Dinajpur 10.4 degrees Celsius, in Sri Mongal 10.4 degrees Celsius and in Syedpur it was 10.5 degrees Celsius.
The official said: "Excessive fog coupled with low temperature has led to the ongoing cold weather. The Siberian cold wave is now entering the country through its north and western region," the official added.
He said when the mercury comes down below 10 degrees then it can be termed a cold-wave.
He explained that there are three categories of cold-wave: if the temperature remains between 8 degrees and 10 degrees then it might be called a mild cold-wave, while 6 to 8 degrees mean moderate cold-wave and 4 degrees to 6 degrees a severe cold-wave. When the temperature goes down below 4 degrees, it can be termed a very severe cold-wave.
Meanwhile, following the shivering cold in the capital on Friday, a number of people, irrespective of their social stratum and income, thronged the markets, shopping malls and makeshift shops on the footpaths for buying warm clothes.
The intensity of winter increased suddenly from the third week of December due to thick fog across the country. Poor people are hit hard by the ongoing chilling weather.
Dense fog and cold spell in Chittagong caused massive disruption in air, water and communications.
Besides, the affluent people in the society have started extending their helping hands to the poor people (distributing warm cloths) so that they could save themselves from the menace of cold.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com