Day labourers sit idle due to lack of work because of inclement weather. The photo was taken at Shapla Chattar in Rangpur city-FE Photo A prolonged cold spell, with dense fog, winds, and low temperatures have been disrupting normal life and severely affecting thousands of low-wage earners in Rajshahi, Rangpur and Chandpur districts.
Our correspondent from Rajshahi reports, according to Rajshahi Meteorological Office, the city recorded a minimum temperature of 12.4 degrees Celsius on Monday. In recent days, temperatures fluctuated between 10.0 and 13.0 degrees Celsius, while high humidity and a narrow difference between day and night temperatures intensified the feeling of cold. Meteorologists said moisture-saturated air and persistent fog were responsible for the increased severity of the cold wave.
The adverse weather has significantly reduced public movement across the city. Roads, markets, railway stations and bus terminals remained sparsely populated during most of the day, particularly in the morning hours. Although government and private offices remained open, overall activity slowed as construction work and transport operations declined.
Daily wage earners have been the worst affected. Field visits to labour gathering points such as Shalbagan, Railgate, Laxmipur intersection, Alupatti and Baya areas found dozens of workers standing idle for hours without securing any employment. Labourers from surrounding upazilas reported a sharp drop in job opportunities since the onset of the cold wave.
Many workers said they previously earned between Tk 600 and Tk 700 per day, but current earnings have fallen to zero on most days. Despite spending Tk 50 to Tk 60 daily on transportation, many workers are returning home without work. As a result, households dependent on daily income are facing growing financial pressure and increasing debt.
Labour leaders said informal employment in construction, transport and small-scale services has slowed considerably due to reduced outdoor activity. Older workers, in particular, are struggling, as they lack access to regular social safety net benefits. Several labourers said they have not received old-age allowances despite being eligible.
Municipal service workers and other essential service providers continue to work despite the conditions. Rajshahi City Corporation cleaners reported continuing waste collection to prevent public health risks, while newspaper hawkers and river transport workers said they were operating under difficult weather conditions to maintain basic services. The cold wave has also affected public health. Rajshahi Medical College Hospital reported an increase in patients' suffering from cold-related illnesses over the past week, with children and elderly people accounting for a significant proportion of admissions. Health officials advised limiting outdoor exposure, particularly for vulnerable groups.
Rajshahi Meteorological Office in-charge Rahidul Islam said humidity levels in the air have reached near saturation, causing the cold to feel more intense. He added that the reduced temperature gap between day and night has contributed to the prolonged cold conditions. The weather office warned that cold conditions may persist in the coming days.
Our correspondent from Rangpur writes, shivering cold as well as thick fog has disrupted daily life in eight upazilas under Rangpur district during the past several days.
Foggy weather along with intense cold prevailing in the district has made normal life standstill. The severe chill for the past several days caused immense suffering to common people; especially poor people have been suffering a lot owing to biting cold. Elderly people and children are the worst sufferers of the shivering cold.
The poor people at different areas under the district demanded assistance under the current circumstances.
The daily activities of the people are being hindered due to a fall in temperature that dipped to 11.2 to 13 degrees Celsius in the past several days, Rangpur Met office sources said.
Some day labourers, including Abu Bakkor and Aminur at Shapla Chattar area in Rangpur city told The Financial Express (FE) that generally, they earn Tk 400-500 per day. But, due to severe cold during the past four to five days, it has become very difficult for them to find work regularly and they are suffering with their family members as a result.
Many people have been compelled to stay indoors, as business and official activities are being hindered while attendance in the educational institutions has decreased.
It is learnt, daily wage earners, especially day labourers, do not have the ability to purchase sufficient warm clothes as their income decreases during this particular time due to the fog and shivering cold. As a result, they have to spend days in untold misery.
Suja Mia, 50, a farm labourer at Palichara village of Rangpur Sadar Upazila told the FE that he earns Tk 250 to Tk 300 per day, which is too inadequate to maintain his family of six. So, he has no extra money to buy winter clothes. For this reason, it has become so tough for him to go out for work early in the morning on account of the chilling cold. Poor people like him living in rural areas are bearing the brunt of the intensity of cold, he added.
Sabu, 56, a farmer at Char Pallimari under Kaunia Upazila said, labourers cannot join their works before 9 am and they have to go back home before 4 pm because of cold and dense fog as most of them do not have adequate warm clothes. Meanwhile, people have been thronging to makeshift shops in the city footpaths to purchase warm clothes.
District relief officer Golam Kibria said, "Distribution of warm clothes is going on among the cold affected poor people of the district," adding that the higher authorities were informed for more warm clothes, he added.
On the other hand, cold related diseases like diarrohea, pneumonia and asthma are on the rise in the region, Rangpur medical college hospital sources said. Moreover, farmers told the FE that if the cold weather continues for long, their crop fields might be affected.
Our Chandpur correspondent reports, cold weather accompanied by chilly winds from the north-west has made normal life miserable in Chandpur for the past few days. The wage-earners and poor people, who have had their income curtailed due to the reduced activity, have been suffering awfully for the want of warm clothes and food. Boatmen who are staying along the river-banks to carry people across the rivers Dakatia and Meghna, are the worst- sufferers due to biting cold weather and chilly winds. They are yet to get any blankets, according to boatmen Hobi Das, Robi Das, Rabiul, Shah Jalal and others.
Pithas, or traditional cakes, are being sold here and there in Chandpur town and makers of the delicacies have been very busy in the evening, according to street vendors Hazrat Ali and Maksudul Alam. Hazrat Ali said his family does not have any financial hardship but he sells pithas as he has a passion for the profession.
Many shops in the town's shopping malls are seen to open late at day time due to foggy weather. Even wage earners are not coming to work from home-said some construction engineers Jumman Patwary and Hossain Gazi.
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