The government is going to take a project to make big boats, designed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s daughter Saima Wazed Hossain, for flood affected areas to shift people and their belongings to safe shelters. State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Md Enamur Rahman on Tuesday said this to journalists after the first session of the third day of deputy commissioner (DC) conference at the Cabinet Division at the secretariat in the capital, reports BSS.
Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam chaired the session.
The state minister said Saima Wazed, also chairperson of Bangladesh National Advisory Committee for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, has given a proposal, design and an estimation of Tk 10 lakh to build each boat which would be able to shift the flood victims and their belongings to safe places. “We are going to take a project as per the proposal,” he said.
Dr Enamur said the DCs gave proposals to increase the number of speedboats to work during the period of disaster like flood or cyclone. “The DCs gave a proposal for allocation of Taka 3 lakh for procuring boats to shift flood victims from the affected areas. We accepted their proposal,” he said. The state minister said a total of 20 districts of the country have been affected by flood till Monday.
In each district, 700 metric tons of rice and 4000 packets of dry foods were distributed among the flood victims so far, he said. Dr Enamur said at first Taka 2.93 crore was allocated and later on Monday Taka 37 lakh more was allocated for each flood affected district. Besides, 500 tents have been sent to each district and an allocation of Taka one lakh was made for fodder and Taka one lakh for children’s food for each district, he said.
Asked whether the flood situation could deteriorate further, he said the situation is not such alarming so far. According to meteorologists, rainfall may occur further in the country, he said, adding that if rainfall occurs in China, Nepal and India and the water levels of the Jamuna and the Brahmaputra rise, the flood situation could worsen. “We have taken preparations to tackle any situation,” he said. Senior Secretary of Disaster Management and Relief Affairs Ministry Md Shah Kamal also addressed the session.
