The Prime Minister has taken 10 important steps to tackle the continuous heavy rain, flooding and landslides in the Chittagong region, according to the Prime Minister’s adviser and Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) spokesperson, Mahdi Amin. He said the government was working quickly and in a coordinated manner to help those affected by the disaster.
In a Facebook post on Friday (July 10), Mahdi Amin said several days of heavy rain had created a worrying situation in the Chittagong region, and that the Prime Minister was monitoring the situation around the clock and issuing the necessary directives in order to stand by those affected.
He said the PMO was in regular contact with deputy commissioners, upazila nirbahi officers (UNOs), law-enforcement agencies and other relevant officials. Local administrations, public representatives and members of parliament had been directed to carry out rescue, relief and rehabilitation work in a coordinated way, he said, and the Prime Minister had also called on BNP leaders and workers at all levels to remain active in the field.
According to Mahdi Amin, 1,057 shelters have so far been opened in the affected areas of Chittagong division, where about 12,000 people have taken refuge.
Under the General Relief (GR) programme, the government has allocated 2.15 crore taka and 3,450 metric tons of rice for the districts of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban. It has also ensured the supply of safe drinking water, health care, sanitation, baby food and three meals a day in the disaster-hit areas, he said.
Alongside law-enforcement agencies, the army is also taking part in rescue work as needed, while local members of parliament and public representatives are distributing relief and checking on those affected.
Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations have been postponed in the affected areas because of the heavy rain. Local administrations have also been directed to provide the necessary support to the families of the dead and injured.
As part of longer-term planning, an initiative has been taken to raise the 47-kilometre Chittagong-Dohazari railway line by five feet. The government also plans to relocate residents at risk from landslides to safe places.
At the end of his post, Mahdi Amin said the disaster could be overcome through the government’s swift decisions, coordinated efforts and humanitarian work, adding that the Prime Minister was standing beside those affected and that the government was working to ensure all necessary support.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report