Winter evades Bangladesh!

But Santa Claus has failed to bring winter to Bangladesh, if current temperatures are any indication.

The northern districts have experienced thick fog and some chill, but the weather elsewhere in the country is hardly one that would prompt anyone to pull out quilts and blankets from the closet.

The lowest temperature recorded anywhere in Bangladesh on the first day of 2017 was 10 degree Celsius. In most places of Rajshahi or Rangpur, it was above 13 degree Celsius.

The MET predictions of a cold wave in late December -- with temperatures ranging between 6 to 10 degree Celsius in northern, northeastern and central districts --  has been belied .

"Winter has come when it is supposed to come. But its intensity has been neutralised by some local factors," Shamsuddin Ahmed, a director at Met office, told bdnews24.com:

He listed three reasons for the lack of chill so far this winter.

"A weaker Siberian High winds and the Northwest wave (Z winds) this year coupled with Cyclone Nada on the Southeast Bay of Bengal and adjacent areas have caused it."  

The winter season in Bangladesh usually stretches between December and February.

Ahmed said the three factors have caused average temperature in December this year to be higher by 4 to 6 Degree Celsius than the same period last year.

He added temperature might drop in January.

The forecast for the next three months says northern, northeastern as well as central Bangladesh may experience mid to heavy fog with mild to mid cold waves.

In the neighbouring Indian state of West Bengal as well, most of it is experiencing spring time or autumn rather than winter temperatures. 

Kolkata recorded 16 degree Celsius on the first day of 2017 and Bengalis famous for their ubiquitous ear-covering 'monkey caps' were still largely moving about without them.

Only Jatiya Party in power can make me live longer: Ershad tells supporters

The octogenarian Jatiya Party chief made the remarks on Sunday at a rally on the party's founding day.

Addressing the Suhrawardy Udyan rally, Ershad, now a special envoy to the prime minister, said the 2019 election will be the last one of his life.

"I am nearing the end of my days. How much longer will I live…The Jatiya Party needs to be in power once again to make me live. Give me a new life," he told supporters.

Ershad said his last wish was to see his party in power again. "The opportunity has come. We need strength to go to power and that depends on you. Strengthen the party."

He said Jatiya Party would introduce provincial government and revise the Upazila system if it were in power. "The UNOs (administration chiefs) now rule in the Upazilas. We want the people's representative doing the job."

The Jatiya Party will also offer quotas for religious minorities in Parliament, government jobs and higher education.