Dhaka, Dec. 30 -- The country is in the grip of an intensifying winter spell, as dense fog and falling temperatures have brought daily life to a near standstill across much of the country, from the northern plains to the southern coast and the capital, Dhaka.
Although the first week of Poush passed without severe cold, the chill deepened sharply in recent days.
Thick fog has settled over large swathes of the country, amplifying the cold and disrupting transport, work and healthcare.
The brunt of the hardship has fallen on low-income and working-class people - day laborers, rickshaw pullers, construction workers and others whose livelihoods depend on working outdoors.
Ranju Mia, a rickshaw puller from Mirpur, told The New Nation that the...