Sharp fall in minimum and maximum temperatures today caused chilling cold forcing thousands to stay indoors grasping the northern region of Bangladesh along with thick fog also hammering road transports, reports BSS. The mercury level dropped during the past 24 hours ending at 6 pm, reducing the gap between the maximum and minimum temperatures to only 6.7 to 11.8 degrees Celsius causing bone-chilling cold in the region.
After a little respite for few days, bone-chilling cold again exposed the poorer and elderly people as well as minor children to extreme miseries prompting local authorities to enhance distribution of warm clothes among cold-stricken people. According to the Met Office, the country’s lowest temperature of 7.2 degrees was recorded today at Tentulia monitoring point in Panchagarh in the region.
Besides, the minimum temperatures recorded today were 8.8 degrees Celsius at Rangpur, 8 degrees at Dinajpur, 8.2 degrees at Saidpur, 8.3 degrees at Dimla and 8.2 degrees Celsius at Rajarhat points. The maximum temperatures recorded at 6 pm today were 17.5 degrees Celsius at Rangpur, 19.8 degrees at Dinajpur, 18 degrees at Saidpur, 17.9 degrees at Tentulia, 15 degrees at Dimla and 16 degrees Celsius at Rajarhat points in the region.
Clouds, mists and fogs visibly gave most parts of the extreme northern region darker look almost the whole day as the cold wave continues blowing from the western and north-western directions. Though the sun appeared for a couple of hours since noon, the cold bite again increased causing immense sufferings common people from late afternoon due reduction of the gap between the minimum and maximum temperatures.
Residents said the weather dulled the businesses causing thin presence in offices while the extreme weather further aggravated sufferings of those living particularly on the sandy char and riverine areas on the Brahmaputra basin. Rangpur Divisional Director (Health) Dr. Mostafa Khaled Ahmed said stock of medicines were adequate and steps were taken at government-run health facilities to treat the patients suffering from cold-related cough, fever, asthma and other related diseases.
The district administrations, NGOs and different voluntary, professional, socio-cultural and charitable organisations, business bodies and other institutions extended their hands in distributing warm clothes among cold-stricken people to mitigate their sufferings.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer of Rangpur ATM Akhteruzzaman said the government had allocated 78,000 pieces of blankets, 4,000 packets of dry foods, Taka two-lakh for baby clothes and Taka one-lakh for baby foods for cold-affected people of the district.
“We have already distributed 78,000 pieces of blankets and other allocated goods like dry foods among cold-stricken people and warm clothes, baby clothes and baby foods in the districts,” he said. Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension at its regional office here Agriculturist Md. Moniruzzaman said agriculture officers are assisting farmers in nursing growing crop plants and Boro rice seedlings to save those from cold injuries.