The chill of winter is deepening across Panchagarh at the foothills of the Himalayas. On Thursday morning, the Tentulia Weather Observatory recorded a minimum temperature of 13.4 degrees Celsius at 6 a.m., with humidity levels reaching 99 percent.
Over the past few days, temperatures have continued to fall. On Monday morning, the temperature was 16.5 degrees Celsius, dropping to 14.5 on Tuesday and further to 12.8 degrees on Wednesday. On Thursday, it rose slightly to 13.4 degrees Celsius.
Dense fog has been blanketing the area in the early mornings, while the chill lessens slightly after sunrise. However, as evening descends, the cold intensifies again, causing hardship for low-income residents. Many have been seen lighting fires at night to stay warm.
Saiful Islam, a day laborer from Tentulia, said, “In the early morning fog, visibility is almost zero and my hands and feet freeze in the cold. But I can’t afford to stop working—my family depends on my daily earnings.”
Another laborer, Robiul Mia, who collects sand from the river, described the struggle: “It feels like stepping into icy water, but we have to work no matter how cold it is.”
Jitendranath Roy, a meteorologist at the Tentulia Weather Observatory, said, “Cold winds from the Himalayas are flowing into northern Bangladesh, causing temperatures to drop further in the coming days. The minimum temperature recorded at 6 a.m. today was 13.4 degrees Celsius. A mild cold wave may sweep the region toward the end of this month.”
