Cold wave disrupts life in northern region

A severe cold wave along with dense fog sweeping across the northern region for the last few days has hit the lives of the people hard. Poor visibility caused by thick fog is disrupting transport movement. The overall production of various seasonal crops has been largely affected, said local sources.

The minimum temperature of 11 degrees Celsius was recorded at 6 am and a maximum of 12 degrees at 4 pm on Sunday in Kurigram, said Mostafizur Rahman, assistant meteorologist of Rangpur Meteorological Department.

The cold wave situation deteriorated sharply causing immense suffering to common people.

If the situation continues, normal growth of crop plants can be stranded following failure in preparing their adequate foods as the photosynthesis process could be hampered due to extreme cold and lack of sunlight, he said.

Saifur Rhaman, a driver of SR Travels said, “We usually need around 10 hours to reach Dhaka from Rangpur at night it takes more hours now due to dense fog.”

Two flights of Novo Air and US Bangla scheduled to land at 8 pm and 9 pm on Friday night at Saidpur airport flew back to Dhaka due to dense fog, confirmed Saidpur Airport Station Manager Suplab Kumar Ghosh.

He also said a number of flights of different private airlines including Bangladesh Biman could not be operated for around four hours from Friday morning to noon. Hundreds of passengers remained halted at the airport during the hours.      

The low-income groups’ mainly daily wage earners - the farm labours, rickshaw pullers and vendors have become the worst sufferers in the chilly weather. People living in the char areas on the bank of rivers have become the most vulnerable.

Day labourer Jamal Miah, 45, at Char Isle village on the bank of Teesta River under Gongachara upazila said, the biting cold mingled with the shivering wind has strained life in the char areas.

‘’I was unable to go out for work for the last two days due to the ongoing cold wave and it becomes difficult for me to maintain my family expenses,” he added.

Thousands of people in the region have been passing days miserably without warm clothes.

When asked, Rangpur Deputy Commissioner Dr Chitralekha Nazneen said the district administration has allotted 55,000 pieces of blankets in eight upazilas of the district.  45,000 blankets have already been distributed among the cold-hit people.

“We also have sent a requisition letter to the concerned Ministry seeking more blankets for distribution,” she added.

A search of various health complexes, including Rangpur Medical College Hospital, revealed that the number of patients had increased due to the cold. Children and the elderly are the most affected by colds. They are suffering from various diseases including asthma, pneumonia and diarrhoea.

Director of Health, Rangpur division, Dr Habibur Rhaman said adequate steps have been taken in all districts, upazila and union-level health service facilities to provide proper treatments to an increasing number of cold-related patients.

The physicians are conducting their duties round the clock in all hospitals and other health service facilities in Rangpur division, he added.