The sufferings of daily earners like day labourers have been the worst as the cold appears to be a drag on economic activity Focus BanglaThe sufferings of daily earners like day labourers and rickshaw pullers have been the worst as the cold appears to be a drag on economic activity.
Fewer vehicles were seen plying the streets in towns across the cold wave-hit region. Shrouded by heavy fog, public places like hats, bazaars and bus stands looked mostly deserted.
Cold related ailments like pneumonia, asthma and other respiratory diseases have also been reported from across the country.
Abul Kashem, a floating vendor at Rangpur Railway Station said: “We have been experiencing severe cold in the region for a week resulting in terrific suffering for the poor and homeless people. Many elderly people including children have fallen sick due to the relentless cold bite.
“However, we are yet to see any government initiative to minimize the sufferings of the people.”
In the capital, people living in the slums areas were seen keeping themselves warm by using dry leaves and branches to light fires.
Md Habibur Rahman, a rickshaw puller in Dhaka, said: “Working amid such cold weather has become tough for us. Poor people like me are trying to warm themselves lighting fires at street corners instead of working.”
Not all parts of the country are feeling the need to wrap up, however. Mongla upazila of Khulna district recorded a temperature of 28.8°C yesterday - the highest in the country.
Md Reaz Ahmed, the director general of the Department of Disaster Management, could not reached for comment.Bone-chilling cold has gripped the northern regions of the country, hampering the normal life of people.
Met Office officials had forecasted that a cold and two mild cold waves may sweep over the country in January while the temperature may go below 8°C in some parts of the country during the period.
On Thursday, the lowest temperature was recorded at southwestern district of Chuadanga at 6.5°C, while in Dhaka the temperature dropped to 10.5°C.
The mercury dropped to 7.6°C in Jessore, 8°C in Mymensingh, 8.4°C in Gopalganj, 8.5°C in Tangail, 8.6°C in Srimangal, 8.9°C in Dinajpur and 9°C in Rangpur.
According to the weather bulletin issued by the met office on Friday, the cold wave is sweeping over Rangpur, Rajshahi and Khulna divisions, and the regions of Tangail, Faridpur, Netrokona, Srimangal and Barisal, and may continue for a few more days.
Meteorologist Bazlur Rashid told the Dhaka Tribune that the overall temperatures will remain unchanged for the next two or three days.
“The situation is most acute in Northern and Southwestern districts where the mercury has dropped significantly in the last 24 hours,” he said.
In rural areas, farming activities remained badly affected as fewer people came out of their homes due to the trembling cold.
The sufferings of daily earners like day labourers have been the worst as the cold appears to be a drag on economic activity Focus BanglaThe sufferings of daily earners like day labourers and rickshaw pullers have been the worst as the cold appears to be a drag on economic activity.
Fewer vehicles were seen plying the streets in towns across the cold wave-hit region. Shrouded by heavy fog, public places like hats, bazaars and bus stands looked mostly deserted.
Cold related ailments like pneumonia, asthma and other respiratory diseases have also been reported from across the country.
Abul Kashem, a floating vendor at Rangpur Railway Station said: “We have been experiencing severe cold in the region for a week resulting in terrific suffering for the poor and homeless people. Many elderly people including children have fallen sick due to the relentless cold bite.
“However, we are yet to see any government initiative to minimize the sufferings of the people.”
In the capital, people living in the slums areas were seen keeping themselves warm by using dry leaves and branches to light fires.
Md Habibur Rahman, a rickshaw puller in Dhaka, said: “Working amid such cold weather has become tough for us. Poor people like me are trying to warm themselves lighting fires at street corners instead of working.”
Not all parts of the country are feeling the need to wrap up, however. Mongla upazila of Khulna district recorded a temperature of 28.8°C yesterday - the highest in the country.
Md Reaz Ahmed, the director general of the Department of Disaster Management, could not reached for comment.
The sufferings of daily earners like day labourers have been the worst as the cold appears to be a drag on economic activity Focus BanglaThe sufferings of daily earners like day labourers and rickshaw pullers have been the worst as the cold appears to be a drag on economic activity.
Fewer vehicles were seen plying the streets in towns across the cold wave-hit region. Shrouded by heavy fog, public places like hats, bazaars and bus stands looked mostly deserted.
Cold related ailments like pneumonia, asthma and other respiratory diseases have also been reported from across the country.
Abul Kashem, a floating vendor at Rangpur Railway Station said: “We have been experiencing severe cold in the region for a week resulting in terrific suffering for the poor and homeless people. Many elderly people including children have fallen sick due to the relentless cold bite.
“However, we are yet to see any government initiative to minimize the sufferings of the people.”
In the capital, people living in the slums areas were seen keeping themselves warm by using dry leaves and branches to light fires.
Md Habibur Rahman, a rickshaw puller in Dhaka, said: “Working amid such cold weather has become tough for us. Poor people like me are trying to warm themselves lighting fires at street corners instead of working.”
Not all parts of the country are feeling the need to wrap up, however. Mongla upazila of Khulna district recorded a temperature of 28.8°C yesterday - the highest in the country.
Md Reaz Ahmed, the director general of the Department of Disaster Management, could not reached for comment.