A train was derailed after failing to follow signals in the dense fog in Ishwardi as the severe cold wave continued to disrupt normal life in the country yesterday.
Yesterday's lowest temperature was recorded at 5.1 degrees Celsius in Dinajpur.
The cold wave is sweeping over Rajshahi, Pabna, Dinajpur and Kushtia regions, Met office said. It forecast moderate to thick fog in parts of the country during the day which will continue through night. Day temperature is expected to remain nearly unchanged.
The Met office said the mild to moderate cold wave sweeping over Dhaka, Mymensingh and Barisal divisions and remaining parts of Rajshahi, Rangpur and Khulna divisions and regions of Srimangal and Sitakunda may continue.
In Ishwardi, rail communication between Rajshahi and the northern and southern districts was suspended for four hours due to a derailment near Ishwardi by-pass area around 7:30am. Shawkat Jamil Mohoshin, the railway divisional traffic officer, said the derailment happened due to failure to read signals in the fog.
A freight train from Ishwardi station rescued the train around 11:30am and resumed train movement, he said. A three-member probe committee has been formed to investigate the incident.
Meanwhile, severe cold paralysed life in Pabna as the temperature remained below six degrees Celsius in last two days.
The temperature was 5.5 degree Celsius in Pabna yesterday, local Met office said. The low temperatures will prevail over the next few days in the district, said Md Abdul Khaleque, an officer at Ishwardi Met office.
At Pabna Boro Bazar area, dozens of day labourers waited all morning for work were but had to return empty-handed. “If I do not earn my family members starve. I have had no jobs since Tuesday,” said day-labourer Almas Hossain who lives in Gachpara area in the town.
Meanwhile some 15 children have been admitted to Pabna Medical College Hospital with cold related ailments over the last few days.
In Dinajpur, the cold wave that began Friday has jeopardised normal life.
At least 37 people including 29 children were admitted to M Abdur Rahim Medical College Hospital in Dinajpur and Rangpur Medical College Hospital with cold related ailments within the 24 hours till yesterday evening.
Tofazzal Hossain from Dinajpur Met office said temperatures may rise after Tuesday.
In Gaibandha, 105 children were admitted to Gaibandha Sadar Hospital over the last five days.
The District Agriculture Extension Office said seed beds of boro crop would be affected if the fog sustains for longer.
Idris Ali, district relief and rehabilitation officer, said they have distributed 54,750 pieces of blankets in all 82 unions till now.
In Lalmonirhat, the cold wave hit hard the poor and homeless. “We have no warm clothes,” said freedom fighter Abul Kashem, 66, of Dalpatti slum area in the district town.
Deputy Commissioner of Lalmonirhat Shafiul Arif said warm clothes especially blankets were distributed among poor people in slum, flood prone and char areas.
In Thakurgaon, people, especially from the low-income group, thronged to makeshift markets as cold wave swept the district.
Deputy Commissioner of Thakurgaon Abdul Awal said they have distributed 34,177 blankets from the relief and disaster management directorate.
[Our correspondents from Pabna, Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, and Thakurgaon contributed to this report]
