The sweeping cold wave coupled with blowing cooler wind continued affecting normal life for the second consecutive day today everywhere in the northern region of the country.

The situation deteriorated further following little falls in the minimum as well as maximum temperatures at most places today causing awful sufferings to common people in the sub-Himalayan northern region.

The sun remained covered behind clouds, fogs and mists for the second consecutive day making life miserable and forcing most people to remain inside homes and drivers to put headlights of their vehicles on for averting accidents.

The situation deteriorated further since the afternoon amid foggy weather and blowing cooler winds from the north and northwestern directions.

Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid said cold bite increased causing immense sufferings to common people from late afternoon due to minimum gap between the minimum and maximum temperatures.

The prevailing weather has caused immense sufferings to farm-labourers and might affect normal growth of Rabi crop plants, including potato and Boro seedlings, if the situation deteriorates further in the next few days.

According to the Met Office sources, the minimum temperature of 10.3 degrees Celsius was recorded today against yesterday’s 11 degrees Celsius at Rangpur monitoring point.

At the same time, the maximum temperature dipped to 15.5 degrees Celsius at 4 pm today at Rangpur against yesterday’s 16.5 degrees Celsius.

Similarly, the minimum temperatures recorded today were 10.1 degrees at Tentulia, 11.4 degrees Celsius at Saiduur, 10.5 degrees at Dimla, 10.5 degrees at Dinajpur and 10.8 degrees Celsius at Rajarhat monitoring points in the region.

Civil Surgeon of Rangpur Dr. Hirombo Kumar Roy said the number of pneumonia, fever, asthma and respiratory problem patients continued to rise today forcing the doctors to remain busy at all health service facilities.

“The elderly men, women and babies are the worst sufferers, especially in rural and riverine char areas,” he said, adding that adequate steps have been taken to provide proper treatments and medicines to cold-stricken people.

Rangpur District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) ATM Akhteruzzaman said distribution of 64,350 pieces of blankets allocated by the government continues among cold-affected poor and distressed people in the district.

Talking to BSS, Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md. Zakir Hossain said the Deputy Commissioners, DRROs, Upazila Nirbahi Officers and public representatives have intensified distribution of warm clothes among cold-hit people in Rangpur division.

“The government has allocated more 5,000 pieces of blankets for each of the eight districts in Rangpur division and those will reach to the district administrations concerned for distribution from Sunday next,” he added.

Meanwhile, different NGOs, business bodies, charitable and voluntary organisations have started distributing blankets, sweaters, mufflers and rappers among cold-hit people in both urban and rural areas across Rangpur region.

According to reports reaching from remote areas in Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Rangpur and Nilphamari districts, normal life remained affected for the second consecutive day today in the northern region.