Cold brings life to a halt in the north

The northern districts of the country, particularly Lalmonirhat and Kurigram, have been experiencing a harsh winter over the past several days, with temperatures dropping significantly on a regular basis.

The severe cold has forced many farmers and agricultural workers to stay indoors, unable to tend to their crops.

Daily activities in the region have come to a halt, especially in villages along the Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dudhkumar, Gangadhar, Jinjiram, and Dharla rivers, as well as in the chars.

Low-income daily wage earners are among the hardest hit, struggling to survive without adequate winter clothing.

Many have resorted to warming themselves by burning dry straws and leaves to combat the cold, particularly during the mornings and nights.

Kutub Uddin, 60, a farmer from Fulgach village in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila, said when he and others went to the crop field, it was so cold that they had to rush back home without completing any work.

So harsh was the weather that his hands and feet started feeling numb after just a few minutes outside.

Maminul Islam, 44, a van puller at Shaheed Shahjahan Colony in Lalmonirhat town., said, "We have to find warmth by burning straw or leaves. This is particularly the case during the morning and night."

Some, like farm labourer Manindra Nath Barmon, 55, from Jorgach village in Kurigram's Chilmari upazila, have no choice but to continue working despite the extreme conditions.

The farm labourer said workers like him have no other choice but to take to the fields no matter what.

He also shared that many of them had shifted to working on contract rather than a daily wage, as it might not be possible to be outside as regularly.

Nazir Hossain, 50, a day labourer, said he spends most of his days near fires as he cannot afford winter clothes.

According to the Rangpur Met Office, Lalmonirhat recorded a low temperature of 11.6 degrees Celsius, while Kurigram recorded 11.5 degrees Celsius. The lowest temperature in the Rangpur division was 9.5 degrees Celsius in Tentulia.

Abdullah Al Mamun, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Kurigram, warned that prolonged disruptions caused by the cold could lead to crop damage and significant losses for farmers.