Chilling cold continues affecting life in northern region

Like in recent days, the sweeping bone-chilling cold wave continued affecting normal life on Thursday in all eight districts of the northern region.

The district and upazila administrations have further intensified distribution of blankets, allocated by the Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief among cold-stricken people to mitigate their sufferings.

Met Office sources said the minimum temperatures ranged between 5.7 degrees and 9.8 degrees Celsius today and the maximum temperatures marked fall by one to five degrees Celsius and ranged between 20 degrees and 22.7 degrees Celsius on Wednesday afternoon.

The cold situation, however, mostly remained unchanged in Rangpur city where the minimum temperature of 8.6 degrees was recorded today against yesterday’s 8.5 degrees Celsius.

Besides, the minimum temperatures recorded today were 8.4 degrees Celsius at Dinajpur, 9.8 degrees at Saidpur, 7.2 degrees at Tentulia, 9.5 degrees at Dimla and 8.5 degrees Celsius at Rajarhat points in the region.

Talking to BSS today, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) of Rangpur Md. Motahar Hossain said the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief has already allocated 61,000 pieces of blankets for Rangpur district.

“The district and upazila administrations are distributing the allocated blankets among cold-hit people of all eight upazilas, three municipalities and Rangpur City Corporation in the district,” he said.  

Besides, the government has allocated Taka 16 lakh for purchasing warm clothes locally and distributing those to cold-stricken people of the district.

“We are expecting to get more allocations of warm clothes from the government to further intensify distribution of the same among cold-hit poorer section people to mitigate their sufferings,” Hossain added.

Kurigram DRRO Md Abdul Hye Sarker said the district administration continues distribution of 53,000 pieces of blankets allocated so far by the government to cold-affected people of the district.

“Besides, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief has allocated Taka 18 for purchasing warm clothes locally to distribute those among cold-affected people of Kurigram district,” he added.

Similarly, the district and upazila administrations of Panchagarh, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha are distributing the allocated blankets among cold-hit people in their respective jurisdictions.

Side by side with the district and upazila administrations, different voluntary, professional and sociocultural organisations and other institutions have intensified distribution of warm clothes among cold-stricken people.

Hospital sources said the number of patients with cough, fever, asthma and other cold and climate change related diseases continued increasing almost everyday during the last more than one week period in all eight districts of Rangpur division.

Rangpur Divisional Director (Health) Dr. Md. Habibur Rahman said ample steps have been taken in all district, upazila and union level health service facilities to provide proper treatments to the increasing number of cold- related patients.

"The physicians are conducting their duties round the clock in all government-run hospitals and other health service facilities in Rangpur division," he added.

Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md. Abu Jafar said the district administrations have further intensified distribution of blankets and other warm clothes to cold-hit poor and distressed people in all eight districts of Rangpur division.

Source: BSS