Help protect cold-hit poor
PEOPLE of the country’s greater northern region are experiencing bone-biting cold weather coupled with foggy atmosphere for the last few days. Currently, a mild to moderate cold wave is sweeping over the regions and it may continue. The newspapers quoting hospital sources reported that several hundred children and old people being attacked with diseases like cholera, pneumonia and diarrhea are getting treatment at different hospitals, health complexes and private clinics.
In particular, the conditions of homeless and poor people of chars along Teesta and Dharla rivers are the worst. Most of day-labourers and rickshaw-pullers do not show any interest to go out for work due to chill wind. In fact, the poor people are main victims of the inclement weather, wherever they stay, in towns or villages. A section of second-hand warm cloth traders has been making windfall profit taking advantage of the cold weather while thousands of people crowd the markets to purchase old clothes. Besides, traders who used to sell different outfits have replaced those with blankets to meet customers’ seasonal demand. But in most cases, the price is high. Though the government, some non-government organizations and affluent people have distributed warm clothes and blankets this year, those are not enough in comparison to the demand of huge need.
We know Bangladesh is a country of six seasons. But due to tropical climate in our country, summer is more prevalent and winter stays merely for two months. A section of people eagerly waits for winter to come and they consider it as a season of festival. They have nice warm clothes to wear and warm houses to stay. But for the people who live under the poverty line, winter is not like a season of festival. Its affect is very harsh to them. They suffer terribly at this time while many of them even can’t sleep at night due to chilling weather.
Possibly, many of us have forgotten the sufferings of cold-affected people this year following countrywide election publicity. We do urge the government to issue directives to the District Administrations for taking adequate measures to protect the poor people from cold-relate diseases and other complications.
In particular, the conditions of homeless and poor people of chars along Teesta and Dharla rivers are the worst. Most of day-labourers and rickshaw-pullers do not show any interest to go out for work due to chill wind. In fact, the poor people are main victims of the inclement weather, wherever they stay, in towns or villages. A section of second-hand warm cloth traders has been making windfall profit taking advantage of the cold weather while thousands of people crowd the markets to purchase old clothes. Besides, traders who used to sell different outfits have replaced those with blankets to meet customers’ seasonal demand. But in most cases, the price is high. Though the government, some non-government organizations and affluent people have distributed warm clothes and blankets this year, those are not enough in comparison to the demand of huge need.
We know Bangladesh is a country of six seasons. But due to tropical climate in our country, summer is more prevalent and winter stays merely for two months. A section of people eagerly waits for winter to come and they consider it as a season of festival. They have nice warm clothes to wear and warm houses to stay. But for the people who live under the poverty line, winter is not like a season of festival. Its affect is very harsh to them. They suffer terribly at this time while many of them even can’t sleep at night due to chilling weather.
Possibly, many of us have forgotten the sufferings of cold-affected people this year following countrywide election publicity. We do urge the government to issue directives to the District Administrations for taking adequate measures to protect the poor people from cold-relate diseases and other complications.
