Non-government organisation Agriculture Sustainable and Socio-Economic Development Organisation (ASSEDO) distributed blankets Chapainawabganj on Saturday.
The blankets were distributed among 500 cold-hit people of Alatuli and Narayanpur unions of Chapainawabganj sadar upazila under its Nadi O Jiban-2 project with the association of another NGO Concern Worldwide.
Chairmen and members of the concerned UPs, officials of ASSEDO and local elites were present on the occasion.
ASSEDO sources said, during the last flood, hundreds of families of the aforesaid two unions lost their residences, cultivable lands and standing crops. Losing all they are now living in a miserable condition.
BSS, from Gaibandha says: With the increasing cold wave in the district, Sadar upazila administration has intensified warm clothes distribution to the cold affected poor people of the upazila in the district last couples of days to mitigate their sufferings.
Upazila relief and rehabilitation office source said the government allocated a total of 1057 pieces of blankets this season to distribute those to the cold victims of the 13 unions of the upazila through upazila administrations.
All the blankets were distributed to the distressed and poor men including women of the unions of the upazila in the month of December under the direct supervision of upazila administration and local government bodies.
Besides, as many as 684 pieces of blankets purchased from the upazila revenue fund were also disbursed to the distressed people of the upazila during the current month till January 11, said an official of the upazila administration.
Sadar UNO M. Mamunur Rashid said the warm clothes were distributed going to the door of the cold affected poor people including aged women in the unions of the upazila.
A letter was sent to the higher authority concerned seeking more warm clothes to distribute those to the cold victims of the upazila during the current winter season, the UNO said.
BSS from Rajshahi adds: Rajshahi Kkrishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB) has distributed 230 blankets among the cold-stricken Freedom Fighters and ethnic people in Rajshahi city on Saturday.
Under its corporate social responsibility, the RAKUB organized a function on its divisional office premises to disburse the warm clothes.
Managing Director Mofazzal Hossain, Directors Prof Modan Mohan Dey and Prof Obaydur Rahman Pramanik, Deputy Managing Director Abu Hanif Khan and General Manager Abdul Khaleque Khan, among others, attended and addressed the programme with Zonal Manager Lokeman Ali in the chair.
The discussants said the specialized agriculture-based bank will extend more cooperation towards the distressed and needy people in the days ahead.
They urged all other public and private sector banks and other financial establishments to stand beside the cold-hit people to lessen their sufferings during the current acute cold weather.
Kuluara correspondent adds:Cold-related and water-borne diseases have broken out in Srimangal Upazila of the district, affecting a large number of people especially children and aged persons in tea garden area.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Office said, only 2,955 winter clothes were sent to seven upazilas for distribution along with tea garden people. In Juri 270ps, Borolekha 411ps, Rajnagor 361ps, Kulaura 556ps, Kamalgonj 385ps, Srimangal 471ps, Moulvibazar Sadar 501ps.
Talking to The Daily New Nation, Kulaura Upazila Medical Officer Dr. Mohi Uddin Ahmed and Srimangal Upazila Medical Officer Dr Nibash Chandra Paul said the biting cold affects mostly aged persons, in last three weeks in the Upazila. They said, three hundred Children have been afflicted with cold-related and water-borne diseases like cough, pneumonia, vomiting and diarrhea.
The poor people, especially those living in the Ta garden areas, are the worst sufferers as they can hardly afford warm clothes that see price rise amid higher demand.
