The New Nation - Internet Edition

PEOPLE in the northern and central districts of the country are experiencing biting cold. The regions are likely to experience mild to severe cold waves during the second half of this month. In its long-range forecast for the month of January, the expert committee of the Met Office in Dhaka informed that two cold waves might sweep over certain regions of the country beginning from the middle of the month to its end. The areas to be affected are Rajshahi and Sylhet divisions, and the districts of Jessore, Kushtia, Mymensingh, Tangail and Comilla. It is likely that the temperature might range from eight degrees Celsius to six degrees Celsius as moderate cold wave and six to four degrees in case of severe cold wave. During the second half of last month the same regions experienced a mild cold wave. Incidences of cold waves are already there in the north and north-western areas. Temperature has started falling and thick fog is hanging over most of the time of the day.

During severe cold waves, life virtually comes to a standstill in rural areas. Poor day labourers and other toiling masses in the above mentioned areas suffer the most. They are forced to remain confined to their houses and pass their days half-fed and sometimes even go without food. Due to price hike of rice, poor people have fallen in a very insecure situation. At the same time, they suffer much from various diseases like cold, cough, pneumonia, asthma and diarrhoea during the season. Respiratory diseases and diarrhoea sometimes assume epidemic proportions. Every year scores of infants and elderly people die of cold-related ailments in these areas. This year people's sufferings from cold related diseases are likely to be more as they have suffered serious material losses in natural disasters and are ill prepared to fight the biting cold.

The availability of blankets, warm clothes and adequate supply of food and medicine can help save the people from such sufferings. The local government bodies and community-based organisations must extend necessary help to poor people to face the situation. Sufficient quantities of warm clothes, emergency food and medicines should be distributed among the people suffering for lack of those. Cold waves are annual events. So, it is expected that preparations should have been taken well ahead of the winter. All-out efforts need to be made now to reach warm clothes and blankets to those who need them most. To supplement the government initiatives, affluent sections of the society should come forward to support the poor at the hour of their distress.