by Naim-Ul-Karim

DHAKA, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- A thick blanket of fog accompanied by icy winds has left people in Bangladesh, where climate is tropical with a mild winter from October to March, shivering.

The severe cold wave sweeping through the capital Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh led normal life and businesses to suffer, particularly in the country's northern region facing the Himalayan mountains.

Md Bazlur Rashid, a meteorologist of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), said that the country's lowest temperature on Thursday was recorded at 9.8 degrees Celsius in Chuadanga district, some 215 km west of Dhaka.

He said the BMD recorded Dhaka's temperature at 14.2 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning.

Sky over Dhaka and most parts of the country remained cloudy for the last couple of days while cars and buses were running by switching on headlights in daytime on many Dhaka streets.

Sunlight was completely absent in Dhaka and the country's northern districts due to dense fog Thursday.

Chilling cold also slows the wheels of normal life in most parts of Bangladesh including the capital of Dhaka.

Amid the chilly weather, drifters in Dhaka have been facing hard time due to the cold spell. Poor people in Dhaka were seen taking warm by firing woods. Sickness was rampant among these poor people.

Temperatures will gradually warm back up slightly from next week, said the meteorologist.

But he said there was a possibility of another two or three moderate (six to eight degrees Celsius) to severe (four to six degrees Celsius) cold waves in parts of the country this month followed by light to moderate rain or thundershowers, accompanied by temporary gusty wind.

However, chill in the air has sent people rushing for woolen clothes in Dhaka's markets and streets.

Sales of warm clothes, including blanket, sweater, blazer, shawl, caps and socks, have been witnessing a sharp increase since the middle of this week when Dhaka dwellers experienced sudden temperature fall.

In Bangladesh, people from less affluent section of the society, particularly laborers, were the worst affected by the cold weather because they were lacking clothes, while many others, especially children and the elderly people, were prone to diseases such as pneumonia.

According to a local study published last year, there were at least 281 "cold wave induced" deaths on average annually in Bangladesh.

The month of January reportedly saw the highest number of such deaths, followed by December, according to the study. Enditem

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