ZCZC
BSS-13
COLD-RAJSHAHI (with picture)
Rajshahi people suffer as mercury drops
RAJSHAHI, Dec 19, 2020 (BSS)- The temperature in the region has declined by three degrees Celsius today that triggered further sufferings of the people caused by the cold wave.
Local Met office recorded the season’s lowest temperature 8.0 degrees Celsius today against on Friday’s 11.0 degrees Celsius in Rajshahi, escalating its cold intensity. The office also recorded the highest temperature of 21.7 degrees Celsius today against Friday’s 24 degrees Celsius.
Anwara Begum, Senior Observatory Officer of Rajshahi Meteorological Office, said the lowest temperature has fluctuated by two to three degrees Celsius daily for the last couple of days.
“So, the possibility of reducing the cold wave is thin”, she said, adding that a similar situation may continue till next two or three days.
Meanwhile, the life of the people living in the slums and chars on the Ganges basin has become worse as they experience more cold bite than that of the mainland.
Md Muniruzzaman, president of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said the unusual situation has forced the people to stay inside residences and sufferings of the day labourers, rickshaw pullers and farm workers have intensified further due to the cold.
The number of patients suffering from cold related diseases like cough, fever and asthma has increased at different hospitals including Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) for the last couple of days, said Dr Saiful Ferdous, Deputy Director of RMCH.
He said around 100 patients inflicted with cold-related diseases are being admitted in the hospital every day.
Cultivation of potato, chili and Irri-Boro may be affected if the situation continues, said Sirajul Islam, Additional Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension.
Meanwhile, the district and upazila administrations, authorities, organisations, public and private bodies and many NGOs have intensified distribution of warm clothes among the cold-hit people.
On the contrary, business of warm clothes in local markets and the footpaths has become intensified for the last couple of weeks in advent of the winter season. The traders are seen doing brisk business taking advantage of the cold situation, said Abdul Ahad, a businessman at Rajshahi Shaheb Bazar.
BSS/AH/MR/MMA/1636HRS