Normal life remained affected in the northern region as the season’s lowest temperature of 5.1 degrees Celsius was recorded on Monday (Dec 31) at Tentulia in Panchagarh causing untold sufferings to the people.
The mercury level dropped at most areas during the past 24 hours ending at 6 pm on Monday again forcing the common people to remain indoors due to bone-chilling cold exposing the poorer and elderly people and minor children to intense miseries.
Officials at Rangpur Met Office said the country’s lowest temperature of 5.2 degrees Celsius was recorded on Monday at Tentulia monitoring point in the sub-Himalayan Panchagarh district at 6 am.
However, the situation remained mostly unchanged in Rangpur city where the minimum temperature of 10 degrees and maximum of 25 degrees were recorded on Monday.
Besides, the minimum temperatures recorded on Monday were 7.5 degrees Celsius at Dinajpur, 8.2 degrees at Syedpur, 8 degrees at Dimla and 8.1 degrees Celsius at Rajarhat point in Kurigram in the region.
Thin layers of fogs amid blowing cooler winds from the western and north-western directions gave most parts of the extreme northern region darker as well as deserted looks since the evening.
Local residents said extremely cold weather dulled the businesses aggravating sufferings of those living particularly on the sandy char areas in riverine areas on the Brahmaputra basin.
The number of patients with cough, fever, asthma and other cold and climate change related diseases continued increasing on Monday like during the past couple of days.
Director of Rangpur Medical College Hospital Dr Ajay Kumar Roy said there are adequate stocks of medicines and steps have been taken in government hospitals, health complexes and other facilities to provide proper treatments to cold-related patients.
Side by side with the district administrations, voluntary, professional and socio-cultural organisations, business bodies and other institutions have intensified distribution of warm clothes among the cold-stricken people to mitigate their sufferings.
Deputy Commissioner of Kurigram Sultana Pervin informed the national news agency that the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief already allocated 30,000 pieces of blankets for distribution among the cold-hit people of the district.
“We have already allocated 42,000 pieces of blankets, including our previous stock of 12,000 pieces, in favour of all nine upazila administrations and distribution of those among the cold-stricken people is progressing now,” Sultana added.
Talking to BSS, Horticulture Specialist of the Department of Agriculture Extension Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam said the prevailing weather might affect normal growth of Rabi crop plants, including potato and Boro seedbeds, if the situation deteriorates further.
“Transplantation of Boro rice seedling is currently being hampered as the farm-labourers are failing to conduct normal activities amid shivering cold in the region,” he said adding that there is enough time ahead for the purpose.
Reports reaching here from the remote areas said sufferings of thousands of people living on the sandy char areas in Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Nilphamari and other adjoining districts on the Brahmaputra basin further mounted on Monday (Dec 31).