Cold snap, dense fog disrupt normal life

Dense fog and bone-chilling cold weather have disrupted normal life in all nine upazilas of Kurigram district and five upazilas of Lalmonirhat district, report our correspondents.

Day-temperature was recorded at 10 degree Celsius in Kurigram yesterday, said Prodip Kanti Roy, Rajarhat (Kurigram) meteorological official.

Most low-income people of char areas of the district could not come out to work and vehicles were plying with headlights on till noon.

Members of some organisations, including the district administration, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and police department, distributed warm clothes in some char areas, but it was not sufficient to meet the people's needs.

Afzal Hossain, a pushcart driver of Kurigram town said, “I have not found work yet (at noon), even though I left home early this morning. It feels like my hands and legs have been refrigerated.”

Saidul Islam, 57, a potato farmer of Kaley village of Belgachha union under Kurigram sadar upazila, said, “I cultivated potato on about one acre of land this year. I am worried that my crop might be attacked with late-blight disease due to the cold weather and dense fog. The disease has attacked a few places of the potato field, even though I used anti-virus medicine.”

In Lalmonirhat, low temperatures and dense fog have paralysed normal life in five upazilas of Lalmonirhat.

According to Rangpur Met Office, the lowest temperature recorded was 9.5 degrees Celsius yesterday morning.

Poor people, particularly farmers and day labourers, are the worst affected as they cannot work in the fields due to the cold wind. They are buying second-hand warm clothes at high prices as the shop owners have increased prices due to heavy demand.

Many of the destitute are trying to combat this bone chilling cold by burning rubbish, straw and old rubber tires. Animals in sheds are covered with old sacks. Residents of sandy char areas in the Teesta and Dharla River basins are particularly suffering.

Farmer Ramanath Roy, 50, of Roypara village in Lalmonirhat sadar, said he has not been able to work outdoors due to the cold and fog since Friday morning.

“We have been keeping warm by burning straw as we have no warm clothes,” said Bachcha Rani, 42, of the village.

Many affected people hope the government and socio-cultural organisations, including the well-off section of society, can distribute warm clothes to mitigate their suffering.