Severe cold, dense fog disrupt life nationwide

Dense fog, freezing wind and bone-chilling winter have made the life of the people around the country miserable. Dew like raindrops from night to 10 am with northerly frosty winds. The sun did not appear until 2:30 noon in Ishwarid twon of Pabna.
Boro seedbed destroyed

There is a fear of damage to the paddy seedbed in Rangpur region Due to severe winter and dense fog. If such weather continues, the seed bed will be damaged, said the Department of Agriculture Extension. However, the farmers are being advised by the Agriculture Department. On the other hand, the seed bed Farmers have expressed fear that there may be a shortage of boro fodder if it is destroyed, reports Abdur Rahman Mintu from Rangpur.
According to the sources of Directorate of Agricultural Extension, Rangpur, in the current season, 8 lakh 7 thousand 835 hectares of boro plantation has been decided in 5 districts of Rangpur region. Apart from this, rice seeds have been sown in 23 thousand 176 hectares of land.
In Rangpur district, 1 lakh 32 thousand 410 hectares of land has been set as a target for boro paddy cultivation. To fulfill that goal, 6 thousand 372 hectares of land have been seeded in seedbeds.
It has been seen on the surface, due to the severe winter and dense fog of the last few days, most of the seedlings of Boro rice have turned reddish yellow. After turning red, the leaves are slowly drying up. Many are putting water in the seedbed at night and removing it in the morning after taking the advice of the agriculture office to protect the seedbed. Again, the ignorance of many is on the way to ruining the seedbed.
RiazUddin, deputy director of the Directorate of Agricultural Extension, Rangpur, said that Rangpur, like the rest of the country, has been experiencing severe cold and dense fog for the past few days. Due to this fog, the seed bed is destroyed. But the situation has not yet developed to destroy the seed bed. However, if such weather continues for a few days, the seed bed may be damaged. For this reason, we advise the farmers regularly from the agriculture office. At the same time, our agricultural officer is going to the field to see the field. Farmers are also working as per our advice. He further said that severe winter is the main reason for seed loss. For this, water should be kept in the seed bed during the night and the water should be removed during the day.
Additional director (acting) agriculturist Abdullah Al Mamun of the Directorate of Agricultural Extension said that now the situation has not been created to destroy the seed bed. In order to protect the seed bed of theseboro rice, along with the application of urea and gypsum fertilizers, the mist of the seed bed should be shaken off daily. He also suggests covering the seedlings with polythene if possible.
In Ishwardi, with the intensity of ongoing winter, the sky is covered with thick fog. The minimum temperature of Ishwardi is fluctuating from 9.8 degrees Celsius to 11.5 degrees Celsius. The weather office recorded 9.8 degrees on Friday (January 12). Due to dense fog, the seedlings of Borodhan seedbed are turning from dark green to yellow, reports Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent.
The agriculture department says that when the temperature falls below 18 degrees, the seed bed of other crops including boro is damaged. Farmers said that if this condition prevails, Boro rice seedlings will not be in a condition to be planted in the land. Farmers fear that Boro crops may be damaged.
It is known that after December 20, the temperature dropped to 9.8 degrees on Friday. Sometimes it rises to 14-15 degrees but remains below 18 degrees. There is thick fog. As a result, the young seedlings of boro rice are turning from dark green to yellow. According to the Agriculture Office, this year there is a target of planting rice seedlings in Boro rice seedbeds on 43 hectares of land in Ishwardi. Due to dense fog and low temperature, many seedbeds have not been prepared yet. Most of what has happened has been damaged by the cold current. Even with care, rice seedlings cannot be protected from yellowing. The Department of Agriculture recommends daily misting and application of fungicides in addition to covering the seed beds.
Due to severe winter and dense fog, farmers have suffered not only in the fields of Boro paddy but also in life and livestock. Abdul Halim, a farmer of Majdia area of Sara union, said that the seedling is turning yellow before it is ready to be planted. There is no way to resist the effects of fog. Abdul Bari, a farmer of Salimpur, said that despite preparing the land for planting Boro rice seedlings, the cultivation is being delayed as the seedlings cannot grow. If the severity of winter does not subside, the seedlings cannot be raised from the seed bed and planted in the field.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Mita Sarkar said that if the temperature falls below eighteen degrees, there is a risk of damage to the seed bed. The temperature in Ishwardi is fluctuating between 10.5 and 12.8 degrees. In this situation, out of the target 43 hectares of land, only 21 hectares of land have been planted with Boro rice seedlings. It is not yet possible to plant seedlings in the remaining land. It is recommended to cover the seed bed to protect it from fog, to shake off the fog accumulated on the seedlings every morning and to irrigate regularly. Agriculture officials said application of sulfur based fungicides and covering the seed bed with white polythene at night is recommended to keep seedlings green.

Nikli Haor sees country’s lowest temperature

The winter winds are here and some parts of the country on Friday experienced mild cold waves with the lowest temperature of 9.6 degrees Celsius recorded in Kishoreganj’s Nikli Haor Upazila, reports our Senior Staff Reporter from Kishoreganj.
A temperature of 9.6 degrees Celsius was recorded in Haor Upazila Nikoli of Kishoreganj on Friday morning at 11.30 am.
It was reported from the Meteorological Department website that the lowest temperature of the country was recorded at 9.6 degrees Celsius in Nikli of Kishoreganj.
Earlier on Thursday, the country’s lowest temperature was recorded at Nikoli in Kishoreganj at 10.3 degrees Celsius.
According to the information of Meteorological Department, the cold will increase slightly tomorrow Saturday compared to Friday.
Meteorological Officials said that the temperature is decreasing in Kishoreganj every day for the past few days. The temperature has started to drop for a few days due to the cold wind blowing with dense fog. The sun was not visible in Kishoreganj yesterday even on Thursday. Severe winters are felt as the gap between maximum and minimum temperature decreases.

Low income people
hit hard

On Friday (January 12), Ishwardi recorded a minimum temperature of 9.8 degrees Celsius. Although the Meteorological Office called it a mild cold front, the environment has been mistaken for a severe cold front due to the cold winds from the north.
Meanwhile, as the night and day temperatures are close to each other, the weather office has said that it is feeling much colder. Working people and low income people are suffering while going out to work in severe winter.
Around 11:30 in the morning, day laborer Atiyar Rahman (52) in Malgudam area said, “The situation has become worse in the cold. I could not buy winter clothes as I did not have much money. I am trying to fight the cold by lighting a fire during the day. Jomela Khatun (42) of New Colony Rail Basti said, “It is not possible to work for winter. God only knows how poor people will survive this winter.
Working people and low income people have suffered the most in the winter. They have to ignore the bone-chilling winter in search of work. Day laborers are sitting idle in search of work. They have to remain unemployed without getting work.
It can be seen on the surface, the buyers are crowding the railway supermarket winter clothes shops in Ishwardi Bazar. Besides, sales of winter clothes have also increased in various shopping malls and market stalls in the market. Vans are also selling winter clothes. The stores have a wide variety of winter wear including trousers, chadars, jackets, sweaters, woolen hats, mufflers, coats, ear caps, socks.

Preparation to hold winter sports competition

The preparatory meeting for the 52nd Bangladesh National Winter Sports Competition was held at Ishwardi under the slogan “Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Chai Sports and Physical Exercise”. The meeting was held at 11 am on Thursday (January 11) in the Upazila Parishad conference room under the auspices of the Upazila School, Madrasa and Technical Sports Association and under the auspices of the Secondary Education Office.
Upazila Parishad Vice Chairman Abdus Salam Khan was the chief guest at the meeting. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Subir Kumar Das presided over. Upazila Parishad Women Vice Chairman Atia Ferdous Kakli was the special guest. Upazila academic supervisor Ariful Islam conducted.
Upazila Secondary Education Officer Waheduzzaman delivered the welcome speech. Heads and sports teachers of all secondary schools, schools and colleges, madrasas and technical education institutions of the upazila were present on the occasion. In the meeting, it was decided to organize cricket, volleyball, badminton, athletics competitions at the upazila level from January 15 to January 21.

Blankets distributed
in Tungipara

A total of 150 blankets were distributed from the Prime Minister’s Relief and Welfare Fund among the cold-affected poor and helpless people living in Asharyan Project of Dumuria union under the upazila.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Tungipara Moinul Haque handed over the blankets among the cold-affected people living in the Asharyan Project on Friday.
Tungipara Upazila Project Implementation Officer Ariful Islam, Dumuria UP Chairman Sheikh Ali Ahmed, UP member Momrez Sheikh, among others, were present.
Maryam Begum, resident of the Asharyan Project said, “I am very happy to receive the blanket.” She thanked the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for this.

500 Bhola people
get blankets

A total of 500 blankets were distributed among the helpless and cold-hit people living in char areas under Sadar upazila of the district on Friday. The warm clothes were distributed from Dhaka University Friends Alliance Club ((DUFA Club) Relief and Welfare Fund.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Arifuzzaman handed over the blankets among the helpless and cold-hit people as the chief guest with UP chairman Zahirul Islam Naqib in the chair this morning.
Superintendent of Police Md. Mahiduzzaman, DUFA Club President Rafiqullah Romel, its General Secretary Md. Nahid Hossain and Sadar Upazila Parishad Vice Chairman Md. Yunus, among others, were present on the occasion.
DC Saifuzzaman urged the rich people to stand by the cold affected poor people to mitigate their sufferings.

200 blankets distributed in Narail

A total of 200 blankets were distributed among the helpless and cold-hit people in Sadar upazila of the district on Thursday.
The warm clothes were distributed from Al-Arafah Islami Bank Narail branch Relief and Welfare Fund.
President of Rupganj Shilpa and Banik Samity Aslam Khan Lulu handed over the blankets as the chief guest with branch manager of the bank Sultan Mahmud in the chair.
Eminent businessmen Gias Uddin Dalu, KM Akhtaruzzaman and Mostari Complex owner Faisal Mostari, among others, were present.