Govt prioritising rescue, relief in flood-hit areas; rehabilitation to follow: State minister
The government plans to compensate affected farmers and livestock owners for their losses, says Aninda Islam Amit
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit yesterday (13 July) said the government's immediate priority is to rescue people and conduct relief operations in flood-hit Cox's Bazar and other parts of Chattogram, while rehabilitation programmes will begin once the weather improves.
Speaking to reporters after a coordination meeting with the Cox's Bazar disaster management committee in the deputy commissioner's conference room, Amit said five of the district's 10 upazilas have been severely affected by flash floods triggered by torrential rain.
"Rescue operations and relief distribution have been continuing since the first day. Once the weather improves, our main focus will shift to rehabilitation," he said, adding that the government plans to compensate affected farmers, fish growers and livestock owners for their losses.
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Amit said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been closely monitoring the flood situation in Cox's Bazar and other affected districts from the outset.
"I was assigned to oversee field-level coordination on behalf of the prime minister for rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts in the flood-hit areas," he said.
Amit added, "I first reviewed the overall situation with the divisional commissioner before visiting the affected districts and upazilas to assess conditions on the ground."
He said, "Cox's Bazar saw more than 800 millimetres of rainfall over the past seven to eight days, compared with the district's average of 900 millimetres for the entire month of July.
"The unusually heavy rainfall, coupled with water from upstream and adverse weather conditions in the Bay of Bengal, has worsened flooding across the district."
Outlining the government's continued support, the state minister said the government will continue to assess immediate needs through upazila administrations and ensure emergency assistance reaches any affected area requiring urgent support.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) said four of its subsidiaries – Eastern Refinery PLC, Padma Oil PLC, Jamuna Oil PLC and Meghna Petroleum Ltd – distributed 2,000 relief packages among flood-affected people in Chattogram and the Chattogram Hill Tracts.
The relief packages were formally handed over at the Chattogram Circuit House yesterday morning in the presence of Amit, with Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Islam Miah receiving the assistance.
Each relief package contains 5kg of rice, 2kg of lentils, 1kg of flattened rice (chira), 1 litre of soybean oil, 1kg of sugar, 1kg of salt, one family-size packet of biscuits, four packets of noodles, six sachets of oral saline, and two bars of soap, BPC added.
