Cold wave grips eight districts, two divisions; Srimangal temperature drops to 7°C

A mild to moderate cold wave is sweeping across eight districts and two divisions of the country and may continue, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) said today.

The lowest temperature in the country was recorded in Srimangal at 7 degrees celsius.

According to the Srimangal Weather Observation Centre, the temperature stood at 7°C at 6:00am today, down from 8.6°C recorded the previous day.

"Temperatures are likely to remain at similar levels over the next few days. This morning, seven degrees Celsius was recorded, the lowest in the district this season," said Mohammad Anisur Rahman, officer-in-charge of the Srimangal Weather Observation Centre.

Local residents said this winter has been harsher compared to recent years. Dense fog throughout the day and night has reduced sunshine, while light winds combined with fog have disrupted normal life.

Low-income communities are facing the worst impact, with many people suffering from cold-related illnesses. Symptoms such as colds, coughs and fever are increasing, particularly among children and the elderly.

In its forecast issued in the morning, the BMD said that from 9:00am today, the weather is likely to remain dry across the country with temporarily partly cloudy skies.

The forecast said a mild to moderate cold wave is affecting Gopalganj, Moulvibazar, Cumilla, Feni, Khulna, Jashore, Chuadanga and Kushtia districts, as well as Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions, and may continue.

From midnight to morning, moderate to dense fog may occur in some river basin areas, while light to moderate fog is expected elsewhere. Night temperatures may remain nearly unchanged, while day temperatures could rise slightly.

The highest temperature today was recorded in Teknaf at 27 degrees celsius. No rainfall was reported across the country in the past 24 hours.