Sreemangal records Tuesday's lowest temperature at 8.9°C

Moulvibazar's Sreemangal recorded the lowest temperature in Bangladesh on Tuesday at 8.9°C, which the met office categorizes as a mild cold wave.

The cold has severely disrupted the lives of working people in Moulvibazar.

Anisur Rahman, senior assistant at the Sreemangal weather observation centre, said the temperature may continue to drop in the coming days.

In the evenings, while the temperature in the town remains slightly higher, the people living in the haor, hilly, and tea garden areas are experiencing extreme cold. The labourers and homeless people are facing severe difficulties due to the cold. The tea workers, in particular, are struggling to work in the cold conditions.

Sumon Goyala, a tea worker from Varaura Tea Garden, said in the evening, the cold in the tea gardens becomes unbearable.

"We have to endure extreme discomfort. Not everyone has enough warm clothes at home. If the government distributed warm clothes on a larger scale, it would be helpful. Despite the cold, we have to leave our homes early in the morning to work."

Ikram Ali, a resident of the Hail Haor area, said: "I am a farmer and I struggle to sleep at night due to the lack of warm clothes."

Moulvibazar Civil Surgeon Dr Mamunur Rahman said: "As usual, the number of cold-related patients is increasing at Moulvibazar 250-bed district hospital and other upazila hospitals. Although there are fewer hospital admissions, a large number of patients of all ages are receiving treatment at the outpatient department."

Meanwhile, a local initiative led by Md Mohsin Mia Madhu, a member of the district BNP committee and former municipality mayor, has resulted in the distribution of 20,000 blankets among the working-class and impoverished people in Sreemangal upazila.

Madhu said: "We are continuing the distribution of winter clothes among the destitute people in the upazila so that no one has to suffer from the cold. After completing the distribution in Sreemangal, we will reach the remote areas of Kamalgonj upazila."

District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Mohammad Sadu Mia said 10,000 blankets have been distributed in the district.

"In the first phase, an allocation of Tk 21 lakh was received in cash. In the second phase, an additional Tk 27.5 lakh was allocated. These funds have been allocated to the upazila nirbahi officers. Subsequently, blankets will be procured through quotations and distributed in phases.