Bangladesh shivers as first cold wave hits

Bangladesh woke up to the season's first cold wave today (27 December), with a shroud of dense fog settling over several regions and temperatures plunging below 11°C in multiple districts.

Streets and riverbanks wore a misty veil as residents braced against the sudden chill, marking a stark reminder of winter's early arrival.

A mild cold wave is sweeping Jashore, Chuadanga, Gopalganj, Rajshahi, Pabna, Sirajganj and Nilphamari and it may persist in some areas, according to a Met office bulletin.

Eight international flights could not land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport this morning (27 December) due to dense fog, airport sources said.

The flights were diverted to Chattogram, Kolkata, and Bangkok as visibility dropped sharply over the capital, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) officials said.

Ferry Service Disruption  

Ferry services on Paturia–Daulatdia and Aricha–Kazirhat river routes resumed this morning (27 December) after remaining suspended for nearly 15 hours due to dense fog.

Moderate to dense fog is likely in some areas across the country from midnight to morning, and in some areas, it may persist until noon, said the Met Office bulletin. Thick fog may disrupt air travel, inland river transport, and road traffic, it added.

Night temperatures may rise slightly while daytime temperatures are expected to remain nearly unchanged. The foggy conditions are likely to make the weather feel chilly in many places across the country.

The drop in temperature has caused severe hardship, especially in the northern regions.

Cold winds and dense fog have disrupted daily life, hitting low-income workers, day labourers, and floating people the hardest.

Temperatures in Dinajpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha are hovering between 10 and 11 degrees Celsius.

The country's lowest temperature was recorded in Jashore at 8.8 degree Celsius.

In Dhaka and other parts of the country, the feeling of cold has increased over the past five days due to a sharp fall in temperatures.

Dhaka recorded a minimum temperature of around 13 degrees Celsius on Friday, down from 14 degrees the previous day.

Minimum temperatures in most parts of the country ranged between 10 and 13 degrees Celsius, the Met Office said.

The Meteorological Department warned that temperatures may drop further in the coming days, with the intensity of cold and fog likely to increase.

Mornings in Lalmonirhat now awaken beneath a soft, grey haze, as sunlight hides behind the persistent winter fog, UNB's Lalmonirhat correspondent reports.

On this morning (27 December) at 6 am, Lalmonirhat recorded a minimum temperature of 11.2 degrees Celsius, according to Subal Chandra of the Rajarhat Agricultural Meteorological Observation Centre.

"During this cold, it is almost impossible to leave the house. If we go outside, the wind pierces through like needles in the skin," said Arif, a 55-year-old farmer from Char Ichli village under Kakina Union of Kaliganj upazila.

With the month of Poush just beginning, the region is experiencing bone-chilling cold and dense fog that has disrupted daily life.