Cold wave leaves Kurigram day labourers' in lurch

The ongoing cold wave, fueled by icy winds from the Himalayan foothills and dense fog, continues to disrupt life in Rajarhat, a northern upazila in Kurigram district.

The cold wave has made life more difficult for people from every walk of life, but those who work as daily wage earners are in a vulnerable and unsupported position.

On Saturday morning, the Rajarhat Agricultural Weather Observatory recorded a temperature of 11.4�C at 6:00 AM, with a humidity level of 98 percent, confirmed Subal Chandra Sarkar, officer-in-charge of the observatory.  
He stated, "The high moisture content in the atmosphere is preventing sunlight from breaking through, resulting in insufficient warmth during the day. This morning, at 9:00 AM, the temperature remained at 11.4�C, with an average wind speed of 6-10 kilometers per hour over the past 24 hours. However, the sun has appeared a few times on Saturday, and conditions are expected to gradually improve within the next 24 hours. This is likely the final cold wave of the winter season." 

The chilly conditions, accompanied by light fog, have severely impacted daily life. Day laborers and workers are unable to carry out their tasks due to the biting cold, leading to a decline in their daily earnings. For the underprivileged and homeless, each winter night feels like an unbearable ordeal, turning their struggles into a recurring nightmare.  

The situation has been particularly harsh for children and the elderly, who are suffering from cold-related ailments such as colds, coughs, pneumonia, and respiratory issues.  

This cold wave has heightened the need for urgent assistance and warm clothing to alleviate the suffering of those affected, particularly vulnerable communities.