Panchagarh is shivering, the temperature has dropped below 10 degrees.
The cold has increased significantly in Panchagarh, the ‘daughter of the Himalayas’ of the north. A mild cold wave has been blowing for two days. This has further increased the intensity of the cold. The people of this town have been overcome by the shivering cold. Today, at 9.2 degrees Celsius. Earlier at 6 am the temperature was recorded at 9.4 degrees Celsius.
Friday also recorded the same temperature at the same as yesterday- 9 degree Celsius. Meteorological observatory said that a recording of the temperature between 10 to 8 degrees means mild cold wave.
The falling temperature because of the cold winds from the Himalayas was visible on the ground even as the sun rose for sometime on Saturday. Last Friday, the mercury fell to the lowest-ever recording this winter season and the lowest temperature ever recorded in the country in Panchagarh. For a week in a row, Panchagarh remained shrouded in fog throughout the day. The mercury is hovering between 8 and 11 degrees Celsius. Even during the daytime, we had to go out wearing warm clothes.
Tentulia Meteorological Observatory officer-in-charge in Panchagarh Jitendranath Roy said that on Saturday morning, the mercury fell to 9.2 degree Celsius in Tentulia, Panchagarh. The country’s lowest temperature of 8.4 degrees Celsius was recorded at 9 am on Friday. This is the lowest temperature in the country and the lowest temperature this season.
He said because of no dense fog, the direct flow of cold winds coming from the Himalayas made the temperature decrease. Nowadays, there is a prevailing mild cold wave. Because of this mild cold wave, though the sun comes out in the morning, it seems cold. If moderate and severe cold waves started, then the temperature in this place would be decreased even more.
In the meantime, the work of helpless and uprooted poor people has decreased because of the cold. As a result of decreasing incomes, the suffering of families has increased. Millions of workers in the district including indigent daily wage laborers, agricultural workers, tea workers, stone workers, are suffering. They are unable to work, living in inhuman conditions due to a lack of warm clothes.
City auto driver Shahinur Islam said there is no possibility of driving out in the morning due to dense fog and icy wind. There are not many passengers on the roads. As a result, income has fallen. When winter comes, it becomes difficult to earn a living with family and relatives.
Day labourer Maktarul said, “During winter, we get less work. If we don’t have work, it’s hard to run our family. Starving is the only option as no income.”
According to Marjina Khatun, a tea labourer, “In morning tea trees get wet into the thick fog. It was too difficult to pick leaves at this time in the morning and was cold. My hands or legs go numb.”
District Agricultural Extension Officer Md. Abdul Matin said, “Dense fog is necessary for agriculture at present. Especially for potato, wheat, and corn cultivation. Thick fog at night and sunshine during the day are helpful for winter agriculture. We are in touch with farmers in this regard.”
With the increasing winter, the number of patients in the outpatient departments of district and upazila hospitals is increasing. Day by day, the sufferer of cold, cough, pneumonia, and respiratory diseases are rushing towards the hospital. Among these, the number of children and the elderly is higher. Only the very ill patients are being admitted to the hospital. Alongside the treatment, doctors are giving necessary advice on how to keep them safe during the winter season.
Panchagarh Civil Surgeon Dr. Md. Mostafizur Rahman said, ‘When winter starts, the number of children and elderly patients increases here. Pressure in the outpatient and inpatient departments of the hospital goes up. When winter rises, the rate of admission to hospitals also rises. We have been providing our all-out services to the patients.’
Panchagarh Deputy Commissioner Md. Sabet Ali said, ‘We have already received an allocation of two thousand blankets from the ministry. They have already been distributed through the Upazila Nirbahi Officers of five upazilas. A letter has been sent to the concerned higher authorities seeking more allocation of blankets.’ He urged the wealthy, including government, private institutions and voluntary organizations, to come forward to help the cold-stricken people.
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