Cold wave takes toll on winter crops in 2 dists

The ongoing cold wave has been affecting badly the cultivation of winter crops in Nilphamari and Chapainawabganj districts.

Our Nilphamari Correspondent reports: Cultivation of winter crops is being affected greatly owing to shivering cold in Nilphamari. Potato leaves are getting squeezed from severe cold on a vast tract of cultivated lands and the plants are getting rotten. Serious damage of all crops including tobacco was reported.

In this IRRI-Boro season, paddy crop roots are being damaged. Last season "Shikar Pacha disease" inflicted huge damage to aman crop. Because of outbreak of this disease, paddy output fell short of target by one third. Now at the outset of current season after a severe crisis of boro seeds, the growers are confronting with damage of crop roots.

The lowest temperature was recorded 8 degrees Celsius during the last fortnight here. The sun was not visible. Dense fog made everything dark much before evening which continued till Thursday. Even noon was as dark as evening. At night dew fell like rainfall. Movement of the town dwellers slowed down. None came out of their homes without much necessity.

Recession continues in business for want of customers. Day labourers are out of job, as none is willing to engage them due to slow activity. Sufferings of the old and the children know no bound.

Destitutes, poor and people of low-income group are suffering much for want of winter clothes. In such cold, dogs and cats are cried aloud at the dead of night. Various winter diseases broke out in the district.

It was learnt from the office of the district Civil Surgeon that cold diarrhea, fever and asthma patients are crowding the hospital in large number. Eight deaths were reported though the Civil Surgeon office sources denied it. In this situation of cold and dense fog, incidents of theft and hijacking went up.

Last week in dense fog, a Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) bus met a head-on collision with a mini bus on Nilphamari-Domar Road near the district police line. The accident left two dead and 30 others wounded. Condition of eight injured persons who were admitted to the district modern hospital became serious.

For protection from sever cold, destitute people, poor and the low-income group of people are crowing the second hand warm cloth markets. But the shop owners ask for prices two to three times higher than the actual price. Although there were some isolated efforts to distribute warm clothes at private level, but that was too insufficient than the demand.

However, no move for distributing warm clothes from the district administration level is still in sight. Recently, 10,000 blankets were sanctioned for 10 districts from the Prime Minister's (PM) office. The allocation for Nilphamari district is too meager in comparison with the requirement for a large number of cold affected people.

UNB from Chapainawabganj adds: A cold wave has been sweeping the district paralysing normal life and hampering boro farming.

Deep fog and chilly weather forced locals to stay indoors as the dusk descended.

Sufferings of the poor people know no bound, as they are yet to get any warm cloth from any quarter.

The poor people, particularly living in Barendra and shoal areas, were seen burning straws in a bid to warm them.

Many are approaching rich men for pieces of warm clothes.

The farmers could not start tilling their land due to deep fog and severe cold although seedbeds are ready.

Local Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said cultivation of boro paddy is being delayed due to bad weather.