2nd Cold Spell: Miseries pile up for poor in the North

The northern part of the country is witnessing a sharp fall in temperature as the second spell of cold wave from the Himalayan sweeping through the region.

The bone-chilling cold, accompanied by mild cooler wind, during the last four days disrupted normal life in different areas of Panchagarh and Thakurgaon.

The lowest temperature was recorded between 8.7 degree Celsius and 13.8 degree Celsius in Tentulia whereas the highest temperature was between 16.8 and 21.4 degree Celsius in the last four days, said Assistant Met Officer Rasel Shah of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (Tentulia).

The severity of cold is increasing due to a less fog for several days, he added.

As the gap of temperature between day and night time is being reduced, people feel colder than the last spell of cold wave that swept through in December, he said.

It would continue for four more days, he further added.

The adverse weather hit many, especially the low income group people like farm workers, day labourers and rickshaw-pullers, who manage their livelihood hand to mouth.

It is also forcing people to stay indoors, affecting business and other day to day activities.

During a visit in different areas, the low-income group people were seen to warm themselves by lighting fire with straws or other wastes.

Farm and day labourers and rickshaw pullers were struggling hard to continue their jobs.

Farm worker Sirajul Islam, 50, of Sabdalhat village in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila, said due to the cooler wind it is much harder for them to continue their work in the cropland.

As it is peak time for nourishing potato filed they are to stay work despite adverse weather, he said.

Rafiqul Islam, 48, of Yakubpur village in the upazila, working in a vegetable field, said it is very difficult to stay in the field amid in such bone-chilling cold wind.

Though the weather became tolerable few days ago, in last three-four days the severity of cold is much higher after the fog decreased.

Rickshaw puller Mozaffar Ahmed, 45, of Nishchintapur in Thakurgaon municipality, said it is different to pull rickshaw because of the cold but he had to continue it amid the adverse weather as he was the only bread earner of his four-member family.

On the other hand, the number of patients, especially elderly people and children affected with different cold related diseases, has been increasing at different hospitals and clinics.

About 135 children, affected with different cold related diseases, are currently admitted to Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital while another 215 adult patients are staying to other wards of the hospital, said Resident Medical Officer Rakibul Alam Chayan.

Besides, about 800-1000 patients were treated at the hospital outdoor each day. Of which about 50 percent patients came with the complaints of cold related diseases, the RMO said.

Thakurgaon Deputy Commissioner KM Kamruzzaman Selim said the district administration has already distributed 32,319 blankets and 501 quilts in five upazilas of the district.

"We are also requesting the solvent people from the society to help the poor," the DC said.

In Panchagarh, 21,200 blankets had been distributed among the distressed people and Tk 6 lakh were allocated for each upazila for buying blankets through UNOs aiming to distribute among poor cold-hit people, DC Sabina Yasmin said.

Thakurgaon Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Deputy Director Aftab Hossain said although it is hard for farmers to work in the crop fields in such chilling weather, the situation is not alarming for the Robi crops yet.

The growers of potato and boro are successfully overcoming the adverse weather, he added.