Caritas helps keep Bangladeshis warm

(January 27, 2010) Weather forecasters say Bangladesh’s cold snap, which began in December and has reportedly killed nearly 300 people, could last another three weeks. Although the weather has slightly warmed up, it has brought misery to many and affected agriculture and fishing. The poor in the north of the country have been worst affected. Caritas Bangladesh has been handing out warm clothing and blankets, so far helping 4,383 children and old people. Pintu William Gomes, a program manager with Caritas Bangladesh, said the very poor living in huts or in the open were worst affected. This year’s cold wave had also been unusual because “the difference between the highest and lowest temperatures each day is now smaller than ever.” Pintu said that this had led to foggy weather that lasted all day. The lowest recorded temperature this winter was 5 degrees Celsius on January 5 in Srimangal in north-eastern Bangladesh, according to the situation report of the Network for Information, Response and Preparedness Activities on Disaster.