STORY: Bangladesh shivers as temperatures dip
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 2, 2025
DATELINE: Jan. 4, 2025
LENGTH: 0:02:17
LOCATION: Dhaka
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of people wearing warm cloth in Dhaka, Bangladesh
2. various of people warming themselves at the fire in Dhaka, Bangladesh
3. various of people buying warm cloth amid the cold weather in Dhaka, Bangladesh

STORYLINE:

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 caused normal life and businesses to suffer.
   
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 the daytime on many Dhaka streets.
   
Sunlight was completely absent in Dhaka and the country's northern districts due to dense fog on Thursday.
      
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.
   
The cold chill in the air has sent people rushing for woolen clothes in Dhaka's markets and streets.
   
Sales of warm clothes, including blankets, sweaters, blazers, shawls, caps and socks, have been witnessing a sharp increase since the middle of this week when Dhaka dwellers experienced the sudden temperature fall.

Amid the chilly weather, drifters in Dhaka have been facing hard time due to the cold spell. Poor people were seen warming themselves up by wood fires. Sickness was rampant among these poor people.
      
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.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Dhaka.
(XHTV)