Govt takes all steps for rehabilitation of flood victims: PM

Stating that the government has taken all sorts initiatives for rehabilitation of the flood victims, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today called upon the well-off people to stand beside the flood-affected people to mitigate their sufferings.

"I want that those who are well-off in the society would stand beside the flood-stricken people," she said while receiving cheques for donations from various government and private organizations to her relief and welfare fund at her office this morning.

Those who donated to the Prime Minister's Relief and Welfare Fund are the Power Division and the organisations under it, the Internal Resources Division, the Shippers Council of Bangladesh, the Institution of Engineers Bangladesh (IEB) and the Western Engineering Pvt Ltd.

Sheikh Hasina said that it is a decision of the government to rehabilitate those who are affected in the flood and who lost their farmlands and homesteads.

"We've taken all kinds of steps to rehabilitate the flood victims and we've also taken measures so that the farmers could restart cultivation after the recession of flood water," she said.

She mentioned that the government has been sending sufficient relief materials to the flood-hit areas. Besides, various private organizations and institutions also came forward to help the flood-hit people, she said.

Noting that natural disaster is a regular phenomenon in the country, the premier said, "We'll have to move ahead braving these disasters."

Sheikh Hasina said that the current flood has been causing damage to crops and roads and highways while river erosion rendered many homeless in the ongoing flood.

She said that her government always puts emphasis on facing natural disasters like flood, drought, tidal surge, prudently and these don't cause any damage to lives and property. "Our government is very much aware in this regard," she said.

The prime minister said that her government is also very much alert and has been working relentlessly for taking possible steps in case of any disaster like flood and rains after receiving forecast. "We're taking all necessary preparations to avoid loss of life and property," she said.

Sheikh Hasina thanked the government and private organisations who donated to the PM's Relief and Welfare Fund today and said that these donations would assist the flood-hit people of the county and help fulfil their demand of food and other needs.

"Your donations would be used for ensuring welfare of the people and you're making significant contributions to this end," she said.

Earlier, the prime minister gave financial assistance to the family members of one Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), two police inspectors and two workers of Bangladesh Chhatra League who were killed when militants hurled bombs on them during an anti-militants drive at Atia Mahal in Shibbari area in Sylhet on March 25.

Sheikh Hasina handed over cheques for financial assistance to Sayeeda Karim, mother and Mosammat Suraiya Sultana, wife of RAB official late Lieutenant Colonel Abul Kalam Azad; Begum Feroza Khatun, mother and Parveen Aktar, wife of late Police Inspector Md Monirul Islam; Saira Farhana Chowdhury, wife of late Police Inspector Abu Koysar; Begum Sultana Aktar, mother of BCL activist Wahidul and Kamal Ahmed Kabul, father of late BCL activist Jannatul Fahim.

Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister said that she has no words to console those who have lost their near and dear ones during the Atia Mahal operation as their losses could not be compensated.

Saying that none could realize better than her the pain of losing near and dear ones, Sheikh Hasina said she always tries to stand beside the bereaved persons because he always feels the pain of losing near and dear ones.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, PM's Advisers HT Imam and Dr Towfique-e-Elahi Chowdhury, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid Bipu, Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Haque, National Board of Revenue Chairman Najibur Rahman, Rapid Action Battalion

Director General Benazir Ahmed and Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mian were present on the occasion, among others.