January 6, 2023
DHAKA – A cold spell accompanied by cool winds and dense fog continues to disrupt daily life across the country, exacerbating the plight of the poor.
In the northern districts, farmers fear a loss of mustard and boro seed beds while cold-related diseases sp hoot uamong children and the elderly.
“I did not go out with my rickshaw in the morning because of the freezing weather. I now have to pay for my family’s expenses with my meagre savings,” said Kashem Miah, a resident of the Zila Sadar slum area in Tangail town.
“People without warm clothes are lighting fires for relief from the biting cold. Last year we got winter clothes but this year no one has come to our slum,” he said.
Rasheda Begum, another resident of the slum, sought the administration’s cooperation as many of them become jobless during such cold spells.
According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, a mild cold wave was sweeping over Rajshahi, Pabna, Dinajpur, Panchagarh, Nilphamari, Chuadanga, and Kustia.
The lowest temperature in the country was recorded in Jessore at nine degrees Celsius till 9:00am yesterday while Dhaka experienced 12.5 degrees.
Among other districts that experienced a mild cold wave, Chuadanga recorded 9.2 degrees Celsius, Pabna 9.5 degrees, Syedpur 9.6 degrees, Dinajpur 9.8 degrees, and Rajshahi and Tentulia 10 both degrees Celsius.
“The temperature will start rising from today and will continue for the next two or three days. It will start falling again after 10 to 12 days,” said metrologist Abdur Rahman Khan.