The ongoing cold wave, dense fog, and biting winds in Magura have brought daily life to a standstill, with normal activities severely disrupted.
The severe cold has hindered workers from going to their jobs, and the delay in harvesting crops due to the weather is causing vegetable prices to rise steadily.
According to Google’s weather data, temperatures have dipped below 10 degrees Celsius. The streets of Magura town, particularly in the morning, have seen noticeably fewer people as they try to avoid the chill.
A few small vegetable-laden vehicles could be spotted on the roads of New Market and Ekta Fresh Market in the early hours.
Rahim Uddin Sheikh, a vendor at the Police Line Fresh Market, shared that the fog and cold have led to a shortage of vegetables in the wholesale market. As a result, prices have skyrocketed. For instance, papaya, which sold for Tk20 per kilogram last week, is now priced at Tk35 per kilogram. Similarly, the prices of cucumbers, bottle gourd, pumpkin leaves, and spinach have also increased.
Farmer Abdul Rahim from Sajiara said that due to the lack of available workers, he had to harvest his cucumber and red amaranth crops himself on his one-bigha plot. Despite the cold, he managed to harvest a small portion and brought it to the market for sale.
The severe cold is having its worst impact on children. The number of children suffering from cold-related diseases at the Magura District Hospital has risen alarmingly. Doctors suggest that the biting cold and absence of sunlight are the main causes of these health issues.
In conclusion, the severe winter in Magura is not only a shift in the weather but also a silent crisis affecting the lives of people, creating daily struggles and adding to their hardships.
