ZCZC
BSS-31
WEATHER-RANGPUR (with picture)
Bone-chilling cold trembling northern region
RANGPUR, Jan 06, 2019 (BSS) – The weather today marked deterioration
following further falls in the minimum temperatures at most places causing
unbearable sufferings to the commoners in the northern region.
Despite a little respite in the middle of the day with sunny sky, the
situation deteriorated again causing bone-chilling cold following temperature
fall from this evening amid blowing cooler winds from the western and
northwestern directions.
The day-and farm-labourers could work in their respective fields somehow
to earn livelihoods when thick layers of fogs in the air disappeared
following appearance of the sun for few hours around this noon.
Officials at Rangpur Met Office said the minimum temperatures remained
unchanged at 11.4 degrees Celsius today at Rangpur at 6 am like yesterday.
However, the minimum temperatures marked falls at all other five
monitoring points in the northern region during the past 24 hours ending at 6
pm today.
The other minimum temperatures recorded today were 8.5 degrees Celsius at
Dinajpur, 9.8 degrees at Syedpur and 9.5 degrees at Dimla in Nilphamari, 7.5
degrees (country’s lowest) at Tentulia in Panchagarh and 9.4 degrees at
Rajarhat in Kurigram.
Talking to BSS, environmentalist and senior coordinator (Agriculture and
environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid said the weather behaves
peculiarly as a result of climate change causing uncertainty to every sector,
including agriculture.
“Scientists have innovated flood-, drought-, heat- and saline- tolerant
crops to keep agriculture production increasing under adverse climate. Now,
time knocks the door to even innovate cold-tolerant varieties of crops for
survival of the humans,” he said.
Horticulture Specialist of the Department of Agriculture Extension at its
Rangpur regional office Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam said the weather trend
behaves strangely with unpredictability due to climate change impacts.
Physicians at different hospitals and health complexes said the number of
cold-related patients continued to rise keeping the doctors busy today like
the past one week period.
Talking to BSS, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer of Rangpur ATM
Akhteruzzaman said distribution of 50,000 pieces of blankets among the cold-
hit people already completed in the district. “We have sent a letter to the
Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief seeking more 50,000 pieces of
blankets and other worm clothes for distribution among the cold-stricken
people of the district to mitigate their sufferings,” he added.
Similarly, distribution of over 42,000 pieces of blankets, allocated by
the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund and the Ministry of Disaster Management and
Relief, among the cold-hit people of Kurigram district also completed.
“We have sent a letter to the ministry concerned seeking more allocation,”
said Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Sultana Pervin.
Reports reaching here from remote, char and riverine areas of the other
northern districts said sufferings of the common people living there mounted
further today.
BSS/MI/RY/1932 hrs