Kishoreganj Correspondent

The farmers in Haor areas in trouble due to severe cold and dense fog. Now is the important time for planting Irri-Boro in the haor .

Farmers are unable to work in the rice fields due to severe cold and dense fog all around. Even though the morning, afternoon and evening pass, the sun is not visible. This is making it difficult to find workers to work in the fields.

On Thursday , a temperature of 14.6 degrees Celsius was recorded in Kishoreganj's Itna upazila. Earlier, the temperature was recorded at 15.2 degrees Celsius

. Kishoreganj's District Meteorological Department's BM Md. Altaf Hossain confirmed the matter.

Going to the haor, it is seen that the entire haor area is covered in a thick blanket of fog. Autorickshaws are running with lights on. Farmers are running to the fields through the thick fog. Public life is disrupted by the severe cold.

Children and the elderly are especially sick this winter. People suffering from cold are trying to escape the cold by burning straw day and night. The intensity of the cold increases in the afternoon and continues until the morning. Due to the cold, the homeless and daily laborers are facing endless suffering. The dense fog, severe cold and freezing winds have disrupted the movement of passengers and vehicles on the river route.

Farmer Fazlu Mia in Paschim Haor of Itna said, "It is very cold and foggy. Now I am worried that if there is more fog, insects will attack the paddy fields. For this reason, we have to remove the fog water that falls on the paddy seedlings in the morning."

Autorickshaw and motorcycle drivers said that they are facing difficulties due to the dense fog. It is difficult to drive through the dense fog. Accidents are happening at various times due to the dense fog. Passengers are not getting as many as before. No one is leaving their homes except for special needs.

Autorickshaw driver Md. Idris said, "We poor people drive our cars to make a living, but now it's hard to drive in the cold, and we're not getting any passengers. It would be helpful if the government gave the drivers some winter blankets."

Motorcycle driver khalil Miah said, "I have been sitting here since morning, but no passengers have come. It is difficult to drive in the cold, there is so much fog that even with the headlights on, you cannot see anything ahead. The sudden onset of winter cold has made it difficult for us."

Mahfuzur Rahman , a trader at Dhanpur Bazar of Itna haor upazila , said, "Dense fog and high winter temperatures. This winter is difficult for the poor and helpless people. It is very important for the government to distribute free winter blankets among the poor and helpless people."

Upazila Agriculture Officer (UAO) in Itna, Ujjwal Shaha told the New Nation that, preparations are underway to create land for Iri-Boro rice in the haor areas. Already, 100% of the seedbed for Iri-Boro rice has been completed. If the temperature drops like this, there is a possibility of problems with rice seedlings.

He also said that the temperature in the haor is dropping day by day.

Through our agricultural assistants, we are advising farmers not to sow paddy seeds in the field during such thick fog and cold and to keep 3-5 inches of water in the paddy seedbed. If possible, cover the seedbed with transparent white polythene from morning to evening. Also, if it is seen that the seedbed of Boro paddy is turning yellow, 250-300 grams of urea fertilizer per cent will be applied.

The Department of Meteorological in Kishoreganj, BM Md. Altaf Hossain said that the temperature in the haor region on wednesday was 15.2 degrees Celsius and today, Thursday the temperature is 14.6 degrees Celsius in the haor region. The temperature is decreasing every day.