Extreme Weather Prompts Dinajpur District Education Officer to Declare Emergency Shutdown
In response to the biting cold weather, primary and secondary schools in Dinajpur, a northern district, will remain closed for two days. The decision, announced by the Dinajpur District Education Officer on Monday, comes as the local meteorological department recorded a chilling 8.1°C temperature for the second time on Monday morning.
Dinajpur, located in close proximity to Darjeeling, is experiencing bone-chilling winds, intensifying the cold wave in the region.
Despite a circular issued by the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) on January 16, empowering education authorities to close schools when temperatures drop below 10°C, the Dinajpur District Education Officer did not make the announcement earlier. This led to classes being conducted amid harsh conditions, with students braving the bone-chilling cold.
Addressing journalists, the District Education Officer explained that previous disruptions to students’ education due to the pandemic influenced the decision not to close schools earlier. However, considering the current weather conditions, the emergency shutdown was deemed necessary.
Asaduzzaman Asad, the In-charge of Dinajpur Meteorological Observatory, anticipates a further drop in temperature with a cold wave and light rain in the district, emphasizing the need for precautionary measures to ensure the safety and well-being of students and staff.
