50 people die as cold spell continues in Bangladesh

Dhaka, Dec 27 (IANS) At least 50 people have died in Bangladesh due to the ongoing cold spell accompanied by chilly wind and drizzles since November.The death toll was reported by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported.Ayesha Akhter, Assistant Director at DGHS, told Xinhua that 17 people died due to Acute Respiratory Infection across Bangladesh from November 1 to December 25.During the same period, 33 others died from diarrhoea and other diseases, she said.Life in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka and elsewhere in the country was severely disrupted for days.The cold spell and inclement weather particularly affected people in the northern region and those living in the open.The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BND) on Thursday recorded the lowest temperature of this year in a border town in Bangladesh's north.AK Nazmul, a meteorologist in Dhaka, told Xinhua Thursday, "Mercury plunged to its lowest 5.7 degrees Celsius in the country's northern most sub-district, Tentulia, within Panchagarh district, 468 km away of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka."It has been cloudy in Dhaka for the last couple of days. BMD recorded Dhaka's temperature at 12.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday.The freezing weather may continue for next few days, Nazmul said.
--IANS vin/