Bangladesh will start experiencing chilly weather from today (Friday) after a fresh bout of light rains brought down the mercury across the country, experts forecast.
Light rain occurred at different places across the country caused by the cyclonic storm ‘MICHAUNG’ over the West-central Bay of Bengal and the adjoining. The clouds and rains will be disappearing from today.
The on-set of winter this year has been delayed due to the formation of the cyclonic storm ‘MICHAUNG’ on Bay of Bengal. However, the winter finally sets in. Moderate to thick fog may continue to occur at places over the country from midnight to till morning.
The chill will also be driving people indoors. All roads leading to major villages and marketplaces will also be wearing a deserted look in the northwest region of the country.
People specially the low income group living in north, northeast, northwest and mid districts will bear the brunt of the cold weather. The chilly weather accompanied by dense fog will also aggravate the situation.
The dense fog will also disrupt normal life and cause immense sufferings to the people, particularly the poor and the elderly. The wind coming from the Himalayas will also intensify cold across the country, especially in the northern region.
Country’s people especially children and the elderly have already started suffering from cold-related ailments like pneumonia, and diarrhoea. So, the number of cold-related patients will increase further in the coming days and many of them will throng hospitals and clinics. As a result, most of the government hospitals and health complexes will struggle to cope with the situation due to shortage of manpower and accommodation. Besides, the unusually cold weather damages crops, disrupts communications and transportation, and spreads diseases, especially among children and the elderly.
The chilly weather accompanied
by dense fog will also
aggravate the
situation
The level of suffering of the poor, street children, women and aged people is high, as they cannot afford warm clothes and adequate food. The normal life and business will also be hampered due to the bone-chilling cold. Common people especially the day-labourers will be the worst-sufferers as they biting cold will compel them to stay homes. Besides, people living in the country’s char areas or near river banks will also be the sufferers.
As cold spikes are set to hit the country, the government, non-government and affluent people of the society have a moral obligation to help poor stay warm. With deteriorating chilling condition due to cold wave, the local administration will also have to start distributing warm clothes among the distressed people to mitigate their sufferings immediately.
Blankets will also have to be distributed to the cold hit distressed and poor people under the direct supervision of upazila administration and local government bodies including social organisations. Apart from the government, the well off sections of the society and different socio- economic organisations of the country will also have to stay beside the cold affected people with the mentality to distribute warm clothes among them as part of social responsibility. The affluent people must think there is no alternative to their activities to become good people with good character for standing beside the suffering humanity. Some people are buying warm clothes while the low-income group such as day labours, workers, peasants and floating people are getting worried.
To keep common people’s livelihood active, the government and the affluent people have to come forward with relief in this regard as early as possible. Every individual has the responsibility to ensure his or her own protection alongside their family members and the neighbours during the winter season.
