Raaz Mostafa

District Administration in Sirajganj stands by the poorest people, who have been suffering from cold as the cold wave has been sweeping over the northern region including different Chars (shoals) of Sirajganj district for over the last month.

Meanwhile, 56,410 pieces of blanket have been distributed among the poor of nine upazilas in the district with the aim to alleviate their sufferings.

According to the sources, people of different Chars and rural areas in the district are worst affected with the ongoing cold spells.

Many children and elderly men are being affected with different cold borne diseases like cold-cough, fever, asthma, pneumonia, dairrhoea and dysentery due to lack of warm clothes during the cold wave.

Many are being forced to get admitted to different hospitals and clinics after being affected with the diseases. But, there are many poor and ultra poor people in the nine upazilas of the district, who have no capability to purchase warm clothes as well as no ability to take necessary treatments in hospitals after falling in sick.

Realizing the matter, the district administration with the help of Disaster Management Department, Chief Adviser’s Office and Local Government Division has provided about 56,410 pieces of blankets for the cold affected poor people in the district.

In this context, the Disaster Management Department has provided Tk 62.50 lakh in three phases for purchasing blankets, while about 20,000 blankets were allocated by the office of Chief Adviser and 18,000 from the Local Government Division.

The District Relief and Rehabilitation Office (DRRO) in Sirajganj on the directive of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mohammad Nazrul Islam has distributed the blankets among the poor through UNO and local representatives of different upazilas.

Of them, 6190 blankets have already been distributed among the poorer of Sirajganj Sadar upazila, 5692 blankets among the people of Kazipur upazila, 6130 blankets among the poorer of Raiganj upazila, 5700 blankets in Tarash upazila, 6056 blankets in Ullapara upazila, 7291 blankets in Shahzadpur upazila, 5725 blankets in Belkuchi upazila, 4958 blankets in Chowhali upazila and 4668 blankets in Kamarkhanda upazila.

Hanufa Begum, wife of Abdul Khaleque of Borochamtara village in Shahzadpur upazila of the district told The Daily Sky that, “I have received a blanket with the assistance of local upazila administration. It has come to help for me to get relief from biting cold. Though, the standard of blanket was not at satisfactory level, it however, has given me warm to protect from cold wave.”

Rawshan Ara Begum, wife of Ayub Ali of the same village said, “I have no affordability to purchase a blanket due to my poverty. I had been suffered from cold for long. In this circumstance, the local upazila administration being directed by the district administration has provided me a blanket that helps me to protect from biting cold. I am very pleased now with the help of the government.”

Seeking anonymity, a Project Implementation Officer (PIO) said, “The amount of allocated blanket is not enough compared to the demand. This is why, we can’t supply enough blankets to the poorer according to the demand. If the amount of sanctioned blanket is enhanced in future, it will be possible to bring many more people under this facility.

Md. Abdul Based, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) in Sirajganj said, “We are expecting that the severity of cold will be reduced shortly. However, we are ready to deal with any kind of natural disasters like cold, flood, river erosion and cyclone. If the severity of cold increases further, we will take necessary steps to enhance allocations and distribution of warm clothes especially blankets for the cold hit people.”

Mohammad Nazrul Islam, Deputy Commissioner (DC) in Sirajganj told The Daily Sky that, “We have distributed blankets to the cold affected poor people in the nine upazilas of Sirajganj district in which they can protect themselves from the severity of cold.”