Be ready to help flood victims, PM asks administration

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today directed the administration to stay ready to extend all sorts of assistance to the flood-affected people as it may prolong this time.

"There's an apprehension that the flood may prolong this time...the PM has given a clear instruction to the administration that it'll have to provide people with whatever assistance they need," said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam at a press briefing after the cabinet meeting.

The cabinet meeting was held virtually with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Sheikh Hasina joined the meeting from her official residence Gono Bhaban through a videoconference, while other cabinet members were connected from the Bangladesh Secretariat.

"It (admin) will have to be careful about such flood at this time of Covid period," the prime minister was quoted as saying.

Hasina directed the field-level administration to provide all sorts of relief materials and take measures so that the flood victims can take shelter in schools, colleges and madrasas where there is a lack of shelters, said the cabinet secretary.

All the field-level government employees, working up to union level under the ministries or divisions concerned, particularly education, health, family welfare and agriculture, must be there at their workstations during the flood, he said.

During the long unscheduled discussion at the meeting, the State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief elaborately explained the preparations taken to tackle the possible prolonged flood, said the cabinet secretary replying to a question at the briefing.

Though there is an in-built mechanism at the field-level administration to face flood, this time extra efforts are being made as there is a fear that this flood may last long, he said.

The prime minister asked the authorities concerned to personally make sure the rehabilitation programmes taken for the flood victims are implemented effectively and timely, said Khandker Anwarul Islam.