ZCZC
BSS-21
COLD-RAJSHAHI (with picture)
Cold weather disrupts normal life in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI, Dec 28, 2018 (BSS) – The unusual cold weather is disrupting
normal life in the city and its adjacent areas for the last couple of days as
the difference between maximum and minimum temperature was furthermore
reduced here during the last 24 hours.
The minimum temperature marked further falls at most places of the
district, making lives of low-income group of people miserable.
Normal works including farm activities remained affected and fewer
people were found out of their homes due to shivering cold.
Local Met office recorded the season’s ever lowest temperature of 6
degrees Celsius this morning against the yesterday’s 6.7 degrees Celsius
making the business of warm clothes more vibrant.
Meanwhile, life of the people living in the slums and chars on the
Ganges basin has become worst as they experience more cold biting than that
of the mainland.
Md Muniruzzaman, president of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and
Industries, said the unusual situation has been preventing people from going
outside of residences particularly in the morning and the evening.
The suffering of daily wage earners such as day labourers, rickshaw
pullers and farm labourers has intensified due to the cold.
The number of patients suffering from cough, fever, asthma and other
acute respiratory tract infections sharply increased at different hospitals
including Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) for the last couple of
days, said Dr Khalilur Rahman, professor of Department of Medicine in RMCH.
In addition to the sufferings of the people, particularly the poor,
cultivation, especially potato, chilli and seedbed of Irri-Boro might be
affected if the situation prolongs, said Shamsul Alam, deputy director of
Department of Agriculture Extension.
Meanwhile, the district and upazila administrations, authorities,
organizations, public and private bodies and many NGOs have intensified
distribution of warm clothes among the distressed cold-hit people.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Aminul Islam told BSS that
38,000 blankets were already allocated for distribution among cold-stricken
people in nine upazilas and 10,000 for city areas.
BSS/AH/BZC/1810 hrs