The State Minister said this while exchanging views with journalists after distributing relief among the flood-affected people in Jhilonja Union of Cox's Bazar Sadar on Tuesday morning.
The State Minister said that in a coordination meeting held on Monday at the office of the Deputy Commissioner with the district administration, upazila administration, local Members of Parliament, and officials from various government departments, the flood situation of the last few days, relief operations, and rehabilitation plans were reviewed. In the meeting, besides accepting the additional demands of the concerned upazila administrations, a decision was taken to provide additional allocations to each upazila to assist all affected families.
He mentioned that under the direction of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the government's goal is not just to distribute relief but to quickly restore the normal lives of the affected people. For this, assistance will be provided for repairing damaged houses, and roads, bridges, culverts, educational and religious institutions will be rebuilt, and information on damage to agriculture, fisheries, and livestock will be collected quickly to implement necessary rehabilitation activities.
Regarding deaths from landslides, the State Minister said that living at the foot of hills is very risky. The government has taken a plan to rehabilitate those living in risky areas by providing land and building houses in alternative locations. The media has an important role in raising public awareness about this. The government is in a strict position against activities like illegal hill cutting or encroachment, and even influential quarters will not be allowed to engage in such activities.
Regarding coordination in relief operations, the State Minister said that under the leadership of the district and upazila administrations, relief distribution and rehabilitation activities are being made more effective through the coordinated efforts of the army, navy, air force, BGB, Coast Guard, public representatives, and private aid organizations. This coordination will be further strengthened in the future.
In response to journalists' questions about repairing sluice gates and embankments, the State Minister informed that the matter has already been discussed with the State Minister in charge of the Ministry of Water Resources. He expressed hope that within the next one to two weeks, a visit to Cox's Bazar will be undertaken with the concerned State Minister to inspect the damaged sluice gates and embankments on the spot and take necessary measures.
Present during the relief distribution were Member of Parliament for Cox's Bazar-3 constituency Lutfar Rahman Kajol, Additional DIG of Chittagong Range Md. Nazimul Haque, and Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md. A. Mannan, and Superintendent of Police A.N.M. Sazedur Rahman. Senior officials of the local administration, public representatives, members of law enforcement agencies, and dignitaries were also present.
