, Jan. 7 -- A biting cold wave has tightened its grip on Naogaon, plunging the district into an icy spell as temperatures dropped to a bone-chilling 6.7degC, the lowest recorded in the country this season.

The sudden dip, recorded at 8:00am on Wednesday at the Badalgachhi Agricultural Meteorological Observation Centre, has brought life in the northern district to a near standstill.

With humidity touching 100 per cent, dense fog and piercing winds have become a daily ordeal for residents.

Just a day earlier, the temperature stood at 11degC, meaning the mercury fell by 4.3degC within 24 hours - a sharp decline that signals the onset of a prolonged cold wave, according to weather officials.

As the sun sets, the cold intensifies. Streets ...