Cold batters life

Dense fog continues to disrupt communications

Weather continues to get chillier while fog is getting thicker everyday disrupting life and claiming more lives across the country.

Hundreds, mostly children and elderly people, have been suffering from cold-related complications due to the more than week-long spell when the dense fog disrupting communications by roads, rivers and air.

In the last three days till yesterday afternoon, at least eight people died of cold-related diseases in Pabna, Gopalganj and Madaripur, report our district correspondents.

Because of the foggy weather, the sun is often invisible these days in most parts of the country.

Sources at Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) told The Daily Star that ferry services on Mawa-Kaorakandi and Paturia-Daulatdia routes were severely disrupted due to the dense fog.

Seven ferries had to anchor in the middle of the river while five others remained stranded at Mawa and Kaorakandi piers for 11 hours from 10:00pm Tuesday, forcing thousands of people into indescribable sufferings.

In Gopalganj, sixty-five year-old Amena Begum of Kotalipara upazila died on Wednesday as she fell seriously ill due to severe cold. She died hours after receiving primary aid at her residence the same day, said Manik Hawladar, chairman of Bandhabari union.

Meanwhile, Md Kari, 55, who was suffering from serious cold-related complications, died at Muksudpur Upazila Health Complex with deteriorating condition on Tuesday night.

In Madaripur, at least three people died in the last three days. Family sources said Jagadish Mondol, 35, died on Monday while Mahadeb Das, 45, and a 40-year-old unidentified woman Tuesday night in Rajoir upazila.