Photo: BSS

By Shafikul Islam Bebu

KURIGRAM, Jan 1, 2026 (BSS)- Life has been disrupted in the northern bordering district of Kurigram as a mild cold wave grips the region, worsening the plight of people, particularly those living in the riverine char areas surrounded by the Brahmaputra, Teesta and Dharla rivers.

Situated at the foothills of the Himalayas, Kurigram has been experiencing biting cold since early morning, with dense fog and chilly winds bringing daily activities to a near standstill. 

Subal Chandra Sarkar, Acting Officer of the Rajarhat Agricultural Weather Observatory, said the district’s lowest temperature dropped to 10.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday, while humidity in the air stood at 99 percent.

The cold weather has severely affected the livelihoods of day labourers, boatmen, agricultural workers and van pullers, many of whom have been unable to go out for work. As a result, income sources have almost stopped, forcing families to pass days in extreme hardship, often without adequate food.

In the char areas, the situation is even more severe. Mozzafar Hossain, Chairman of Saheber Alga Union Parishad under Ulipur upazila, said the union covers an area of about 100.98 square kilometres and includes 32 chars where nearly 42,000 people live. Being completely surrounded by rivers, areas such as Namajer Char, Airmari and Doikhawa Char are bearing the brunt of the icy winds, he said, adding that children and elderly people are suffering the most.

He continued that every morning two to three hundred people gather at his house in the hope of getting blankets. However, only 150 blankets were allocated for the entire union and distributed across nine wards, which he described as grossly inadequate for such a large population.

Renowned educationist and journalist Professor Liaqat Ali said that out of the district’s nearly 24 lakh people, around 17 lakh poor residents are facing difficulties in protecting themselves from the cold. 

He said about 550,000 people living in char areas are particularly vulnerable during the winter.

Kurigram District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Abdul Matin said that so far 22,000 blankets have been allocated and distributed across the district’s nine upazilas. He said the blanket distribution programme among cold-hit people is ongoing.

However, local residents alleged that winter clothing is yet to reach many remote char areas, leaving thousands of helpless people shivering in the cold. They warned that unless effective measures are taken quickly, the sufferings of the poor people of Kurigram may worsen further during this winter.