Cold wave grips parts of Bangladesh; mercury drops to lowest 7.8°C in Jashore, Chuadanga
Due to the dense fog 8 int’l flights were diverted and 7 were delayed at the Dhaka airport
A mild to moderate cold wave is sweeping parts of the country and it may continue for two or three days, said the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD).
People of Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions and Tangail, Faridpur, Manikganj, Jashore, Chuadanga, Satkhira and Kushtia districts are bearing the brunt of the biting cold the most.
The inclement weather is causing immense suffering to the elderly, children and the low-income people, who need to work outside. The sun has been mostly invisible in many parts of the country because of the foggy and gloomy weather.
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Md Bazrul Rashid, a BMD meteorologist, while speaking with The Business Standard, said that temperatures in most parts of the country decreased over the past few days mainly due to dense fog not allowing sun rays to enter the atmosphere.
"This weather will persist for the next 2-3 days. The thick covering of fog across the country is expected to start clearing after 10 January," he said
"The lowest temperature on Sunday morning was recorded in Jashore and Chaudanga at 7.8°C. Capital Dhaka's current lowest temperature reading is 12.3°C. Day and night temperatures are to remain nearly unchanged," the BMD official added.
Moderate to thick fog may occur over the country from midnight till morning and it may continue at places till noon, he added.
Due to the reduced difference between day and night temperature, feelings of moderate to severe cold conditions are likely over the country, he added.
8 int'l flights diverted, 7 delayed at Dhaka airport due to dense fog
Flight operations at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka were disrupted on Sunday as heavy fog covered the capital like the past few days.
Eight international flights were diverted and operations of seven others were delayed due to dense fog, reads an official press release.
Flights of Salam Air, Kuwait Air, Air Arabia, Jazeera Airlines, Gulf Air, Malindo and BG-350 airlines were diverted to Kolkata airport in India while the flight of AirAsia to Yangon in Myanmar.
Flights of seven airlines – Oman Air, Biman Bangladesh, Qatar Airways, Emirates Airlines, Saudia Airlines, Himalaya Airlines and FlyDubai Airlines – were delayed due to poor visibility caused by dense fog.
Earlier on 4 January, an international flight was diverted to Hyderabad in India and operations of seven others were delayed due to the same reason.
On 3 January, two international flights carrying passengers from Qatar and Saudi Arabia headed for Dhaka airport made emergency landings at Sylhet Osmani International Airport due to dense fog.
