Rajshahi has recorded the season’s lowest temperature at 7 degrees Celsius, with a moderate cold wave setting in and cold winds intensifying hardship in daily life.
The Rajshahi Meteorological Office said the temperature dropped by three degrees Celsius within a day, reaching 7 degrees at 6am on Tuesday, marking the lowest reading of the current winter season in the district.
According to the office, the sharp fall in temperature has triggered a moderate cold wave over the region, while humidity stood at 100 per cent and dense fog persisted throughout the morning, although no rainfall was recorded.
A day earlier on Monday, the district’s minimum temperature was recorded at 10 degrees Celsius, while the maximum stood at 14.8 degrees, with air humidity at 76 per cent.
Local residents said the biting cold has caused severe suffering, particularly for low-income people, children and the elderly, while fog has also disrupted movement on road and river routes.
Rickshaw puller Rafiqul Islam in the city said it has become extremely difficult to go out on the roads due to the cold, with hands and feet almost numb and fewer passengers than usual.
Day labourer Shahidul Islam said working outdoors has become very challenging in the intense cold, adding that the absence of work would make it hard to run his family.
Children and elderly people have also been facing serious hardship, while patients admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital and other healthcare facilities, including women, children and senior citizens, are struggling to cope with the severe cold.
Dense fog disrupted early-morning traffic, with vehicles seen moving along major roads with headlights switched on.
Rajshahi Meteorological Office Officer-in-Charge Rahidul Islam said the intensity of cold may persist in the region over the next few days.
