Plight of char dwellers in bitter cold

For the past week, a severe cold wave has disrupted normal life across the vast char (islet) areas along the Padma River. Bone-chilling temperatures and dense fog have turned everyday survival into a struggle for the vulnerable residents of these remote regions. The extensive char belt, stretching across districts such as Rajshahi, Pabna, Kushtia, Rajbari, and Shariatpur, is home mainly to impoverished communities who remain among the most neglected in the country.

Most inhabitants depend on daily labour, fishing, boatmanship, small-scale farming, and street vending. As their livelihoods are largely outdoors, the cold wave has made it nearly impossible for them to work. Acute food shortages have followed, while cold-related illnesses are increasingly affecting young children and the elderly. In the absence of adequate healthcare facilities, common ailments such as fever and colds are escalating into serious conditions, including pneumonia and respiratory complications.

Dense fog has also severely disrupted river transport, making it extremely difficult for patients to reach towns and cities for medical treatment. Many families live in fragile houses made of tin sheets and jute sticks, which offer little protection against the harsh winter. Enduring such extreme conditions has therefore become an overwhelming challenge.

Although limited relief and blanket distribution programmes are usually observed each year, no visible government initiative has been taken so far this season. Many families are spending their days in desperate hope of assistance from government or non-government organisations. Urgent steps are needed to ensure the delivery of adequate relief, winter clothing, medical support and emergency services in these vulnerable areas.

Lotus Jahangir

University of Rajshahi