The biting cold wave which is sweeping with dense fog almost across the country has disrupted normal life and already claimed lives of at least nine people during the last couple of days.
Many people, especially children and elderly men, have been affected with various cold-related diseases. Many of them were hospitalised.
The first spell of the cold wave forced the people to stay indoors, hampering their business and official activities. The attendance of the students in the educational institutions remained thin.
The cold weather caused immense sufferings to infants, elders, the poor and vulnerable groups of people such as day-labourers, farmers and rickshaw-pullers, according to the reports from the districts.
Besides, the flying schedules of various national and private airlines virtually collapsed in the face of the fog and mist that has engulfed the cities on Friday night, causing sufferings to the passengers.
The ongoing mild cold wave may continue till tomorrow (Monday). The country’s lowest temperature of 6 degrees Celsius was recorded in Jessore on Saturday. However, the highest temperature at 26.7 degree Celsius was in Cox’s Bazar.
A light cold wave is likely to sweep the north-western part of the county at the end of this month. Another light to moderate cold wave may hit many parts of the country in the first or second week of January next year, said the Met Office.
Seven children died of cold-related diseases in Rangpur, an unidentified elderly man in Rajshahi and a day-labourer, Zakir Hossain, 30, in Patuakhali.
About 50 cold-hit people, mostly children, were being admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital everyday, said the sources there.
Our correspondents in Rajshahi and Rangpur reported that many children and elderly people afflicted with various cold-related diseases have been taken to local hospitals.
Winter vegetables and seedbeds are being affected by the continued cold spell with dense fog, said Kazi Nazmul Islam, a farmer of Naohata area in Paba upazila of Rajshahi.
The cold weather caused road accidents in the northern region. The dense fog also disrupted ferry services on the Paturia-Doulatdia and Mawa-Kaurakandi routes on Saturday, local sources said.
Dhaka city experienced the lowest temperature of 12.0 degrees, Chittagong city 14.2 degrees, Rajshahi city 7.4 degrees, Rangpur city 10.4 degrees, Khulna city 10.0 degrees, Barisal city 9.8 degrees and Sylhet city 14.5 degree, said the Met Office.
Some places may be covered by moderate to dense fog till this (Sunday) afternoon, the Met office forecasted.
Vehicular movement has also been disrupted due to foggy weather. “The dense fog involved risks of road accidents,” said Abul Kalam, a staffer of National Travels.
Dr Mahbubur Rahman Khan Badshah, a medicine specialist of Rajshahi Medical College, said the people should try to protect them from the shivering cold to avoid risks of diseases.
According to the district relief office, there were about 200,000 vulnerable people in Rangpur. Some 5,500 blankets were allotted for eight upazillas.
“We have sent emergency message to the concerned ministry for more relief materials,” Rangpur district relief officer Moklesur Rhaman told daily sun.
The Rajshahi district administration is yet to distribute warm clothes among the poor. Only a few private organisations started distributing the clothes in a small scale in the city.
However, sales of warm clothes increased suddenly in roadside and makeshift markets.
Even the people in the capital felt severe cold and were seen wearing warm clothes. The slum people were suffering most.
A cold hits the country after December 15 every year and experts described the trend as ‘not exceptional’.
News Source: The Daily Sun