At least 50 people have died in Bangladesh as cold wave continues to sweep across the country.
Weather officials said Bangladesh’s lowest temperature this year was recorded at 4.5 degrees Celsius early on Sunday (Dec 29) in Tetulia.
Tetulia is a border town in north Bangladesh.
At least 17 people died of acute respiratory infection and 33 from diarrhoea and other diseases across from Nov 1 to Dec 28 in the country, said Ayesha Akhter, a senior official of the government’s health directorate.
Hospitals have been crowded with people suffering from cold-related illnesses, such as influenza, dehydration and pneumonia, she said.
Working class people are the worst affected by the cold weather because they lack clothes while many others, especially children and the elderly people, are prone to diseases such as pneumonia, Akhter said.
The weather office said the cold snap, accompanied by chilly winds and dense fog, week was likely to continue for few more days.