SM Mizanur Rahman :
The country recorded this season’s coldest day in Gopalganj district on Monday as mercury dropped to 6.0 degrees Celsius, says Met Office.
The mild to moderate cold wave coupled with cooler wind and fog continued paralysing normal life and causing untold sufferings to the people for the fourth consecutive day yesterday across the country.
At least three old men died in cold wave at Dacope upazila of Khulna district yesterday. Many old people and children suffered with diarrhoea and pneumonia due to the severe cold were admitted to different local hospitals in the last few days.
The three old men have been identified as Mohammad Ali, 70, Mokbul Sheikh, 70, and Dulal Krishna Mandol, 69.
The family members told journalists that the sudden cold wave had claimed their lives.
“My brain is not working properly due to severe cold. I experienced severe cold wave in the past. But this year cold-bite is too much hammering me,” an 80-year old man of village Jogania of Narail district said.
According to the Met Office, mild to moderate cold wave is now sweeping over Rajshahi, Rangpur, Khulna and Barisal divisions and the regions of Tangail, Faridpur, Madaripur, Gopalgonj, Sitakunda and Srimangal.
Bone-chilling cold and thick fog hit the people hard, especially in the northwestern region, forcing the people stay indoors.
The sun remained covered behind the thick layers of fogs amid blowing cooler winds almost throughout the day in the northwestern regions on Monday affecting vehicular movement and forcing the drivers to put headlights of their vehicles on for averting accidents.
According to residents in different areas in the region, life is almost paralyzed by the severe cold in northwestern region. Most people remained home. Transports on the roads are few. Most shops remained closed. The poor are burning hay and fallen leaves to keep them warm. Poor day labourers find it difficult to earn bread.
The intensity of cold wave has sharply increased following rainfall occurred past week. With sweeping of cold wave, a cover of thick engulfed different northern parts, which is delaying appearance of sunlight, they added.
The number of pneumonia and diarrhoeal patents, mostly the older persons and kids, continues increasing due to the sweeping bone-chilling cold wave in the northwestern region.
In Pabna, at least 300 children and old men infected with cold-related diseases, including diarrhoea and pneumonia, were admitted to the district general hospital in the last 24 hours while over three thousand others admitted to the Naogaon general hospital.
“The prevailing countrywide cold wave may continue for three more days, further dipping the temperature. On Monday, the lowest temperature was recorded at 6 degrees Celsius at Gopalganj and the highest temperature at 26.1 degrees Celsius at Teknaf,” an on duty official of Met office said.
He added moderate to thick fog may occur at places over the river basins and light to moderate fog may occur elsewhere over the country during mid night till morning.
Meanwhile, ferry service on Paturia-Daulatdia route resumed at 9:00am on Monday after three hours of disruption caused by dense fog.
Earlier, the ferry service on the route was suspended at 7:00am as thick fog enveloped the area. The obstacle left five ferries remained stranded at Paturia while six at Daulatdia ghats.
Besides, four ferries – Khan Jahan Ali, Kopoti, Hasna Hena and Shapla Shaluk – were stranded in the mid-river due to poor visibility caused by the fog, he said.
About five hundred vehicles, including buses, trucks and cars, remained stranded along with several hundred passengers in the mid-river and on both ends of this important route.
