Lowest temperature 5.5 degree Celsius recorded in Kurigram

The lowest temperature -- 5.5 degree Celsius -- of the country was recorded at Rejarhat in Kurigram today, according to Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD).

The met office issued a bulletin in the morning where it said the temperature plummeted and now a severe cold wave is sweeping over Kurigram and Rajshahi districts.

Kurigram has been experiencing a mild cold wave for the last couple of days and the temperature was recorded at 9.8 degree Celsius in the district yesterday.

The bulletin also said that a mild to moderate cold wave is sweeping over Mymensingh division, elsewhere over Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions and the regions of Tangail, Faridpur, Madaripur, Gopalganj, Moulvibazar, Khulna, Jashore, Chuadanga, Kushtia, Barishal and Bhola.

It may continue, it added.

Our Lalmonirhat correspondent reports that poor people living in the Brahmaputra, Dudhkumar, Teesta and Dharla river basin areas in Kurigram have been suffering following the ongoing cold wave accompanied by thick fog.

Low income people, mainly farm workers, day labourers and rickshaw-pullers cannot go out for work due to the adverse weather.

Many people, mostly children and elderly people, have fallen victim to cold-related diseases like diarrhoea and pneumonia, the correspondent said.

"I am waiting for passengers on the road in Kurigram town for over three hours this morning but there is no passenger," said Motaleb Miah, a rickshaw puller in Dada Mor area in Kurigram municipality.