2 more die in Lalmonirhat
The poor and the homeless continue to suffer in the cold wave sweeping across the country over the last few days with the minimum temperature ranging from 3 to 10 degrees Celsius.
Yesterday, the lowest temperature was recorded at 4 degrees Celsius in Saidpur where mercury dipped to 45-year-low 3°C on Thursday.
Temperature dropped to 4.1°C in Sreemangal, the tea-growing region in the northeast, which holds the 1968 record of all-time-low 2.8°C.
In the northern part, Rangpur and Dinajpur experienced 4.5°C yesterday as freezing cold claimed two lives in Hatibandha and Aditmari upazilas in Lalmonirhat.
Lalmonirhat district’s civil surgeon, Jahangir Alam Sarker, said at least 240 patients, including children were admitted with cold-related diseases to sadar hospital and five other upazila health complexes during the last two days.
Of the patients, 25 children were referred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital yesterday morning, as their condition deteriorated, he added.
The Met office forecasts severe cold and dense fogs over the next few days, especially in the north.
In the capital, however, the sun was visible around noon yesterday, while the minimum temperature rose to 8°C from Thursday’s 7.6°C.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina distributed warm clothes and blankets to 1,000 poor people at the city’s Bangabandhu Avenue in the day.
As fogs kept disrupting public life across the country, ferry operations on Mawa-Kaorakandi route remained suspended for around 10 hours due to poor visibility in the Padma.
Our Munshiganj correspondent reports that an engine boat loaded with cement sank in the Dhaleshwari yesterday evening as passenger vessel MV Tipu hit it near Muktarpur bridge.
Police say Thandu Bepari, a staff of the sunken boat, has been rescued while Abul Kalam, its owner, remains missing.
-With The Daily Star input
