Fakhrul calls for united efforts to tackle flood situation

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today called on all relevant ministries, divisions and agencies to work in a coordinated manner to tackle the flood situation caused by recent heavy rainfall and hill runoff in different parts of the country, ensure emergency response, and strengthen coordination in related activities.

He made the call while addressing an inter-ministerial meeting held at the Cabinet Division conference room at secretariat here.

In his opening remarks, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said there is no alternative to coordinated efforts to alleviate public suffering under the current circumstances. Every ministry and agency must discharge its responsibilities properly and ensure that services and assistance must reach the affected people without delay, he added.

He said all government institutions must work in coordination to address the flood situation. The agencies concerned must give the highest priority to carrying out their responsibilities in rescue operations, relief distribution, healthcare services, the supply of safe drinking water, and the restoration of damaged infrastructure, he said.

At the meeting, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the government is working with full commitment to deal with the disaster under the directives of the Prime Minister.

Emphasising transparency and accountability in relief distribution in the flood-affected areas, he said relief must reach the genuinely affected people without any form of corruption.

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said an accurate database of the flood-affected people should be prepared to make relief distribution more organised and effective.

He also stressed the importance of keeping the supply chain and communication infrastructure operational.

The meeting took several important decisions regarding post-flood rehabilitation and damage management.

According to the decisions, all departments concerned with disaster management will implement their respective action plans. After floodwaters recede, the actual extent of the damage will be assessed and a food assistance programme will be carried out accordingly.

In addition, field-level officials will work actively to help overcome losses in the agriculture sector, while arrangements will be made to supply new seeds to affected farmers. It was also decided to ensure the supply of safe drinking water in flood-hit areas and strengthen necessary healthcare services to prevent the outbreak of diseases.

The meeting further decided that initiatives would be taken to quickly repair damaged roads under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). At the same time, necessary measures will be taken to restore damaged highways and other important roads under the Roads and Highways Department and other relevant authorities without delay.

Government sources said the ministries and agencies concerned will continue coordinated rescue operations, relief distribution, healthcare services and rehabilitation activities until the flood situation returns to normal.