The met office predicted the current spate of cold wave to continue for five more days despite slight increase in the mercury level across the country on Tuesday a day after Bangladesh witnessed the record low temperature in northwestern Tetulia.

‘Mild to moderate cold wave likely to continue till Jan 14,’ a met office statement said on Tuesday as a ‘severe cold wave’ still swept over northwestern Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions and western Gopalgonj, Jessore and Kushtia and southwestern Satkhira.

According to the statement southwestern Khulna and Barisal, northern Mymensingh, and parts of Dhaka division and regions of Srimangal, Comilla, Chittagong and Noakhali are exposed to ‘mild to moderate cold wave’. Bangladesh today witnessed the lowest temperature at 4.8 degrees Celsius at northwestern Dinajpur a day after adjoining Tetulia of Panchagargh district on the foothills of Himalayas recorded the lowest temperature in the history with mercury level going down to 2.6 degrees Celsius.

The met office said the current spate of chilling cold to have its worst bite on Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions, regions of northern Tangail, northeastern Srimongal and western Chuadanga for one more day until midnight January 10, exposing the areas to ‘severe cold wave’.

But, a met office spokesman said, it would take the country five more days to get rid of the cold wave in general.

During the period, moderate to thick fog may occur over the northern part and the river basins and light to moderate fog elsewhere over the country through the nights and it may continue for indefinite period.

‘The weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country during this period,’ the met office release said.

It said day and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country till January 10, but it may increase by 2-3 degrees Celsius over the country after the period.

Northeastern tip of Teknaf yesterday witnessed the maximum temperature at 25.5 degrees Celsius while Tetulia on the northwestern point of the country adjoining the Himalayas recorded the record low temperature.

In a bizarre weather phenomenon, the southeastern part of Bay of Bengal and adjoining area witnesses a low with the ridge of sub-continental high extending up to northwestern part of Bangladesh while under the influence of extremely cold Siberian wind flow the country is simultaneously exposed to the cold wave.