‘Give interest-free loans to cyclone-hit fisheries, livestock farmers in Barishal, Khulna’

The fisheries and livestock ministry has asked the disaster management and relief ministry to provide financial support, including interest-free loans, to farmers and entrepreneurs to offset their losses caused by cyclone Amphan.

The fisheries ministry in the letter today said cyclone Amphan caused damages of around Tk 305.50 crore in the fisheries sector and around Tk 1.4 crore in the livestock sector in Barishal and Khulna divisions.

The cyclone also destroyed around 24,350 fish farms and 50,138 livestock and poultry farms in the two divisions, the letter said.

Farmers and entrepreneurs in the fisheries and livestock sectorare facing extreme financial losses due to the adverse impact of the Covid-19 epidemic and the cyclone has meant more losses for them, the letter said.

Under the circumstances, the ministry asked that they be given financial assistance.

The letter signed by Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Raunak Mahmud was sent to the senior secretary of the disaster management and relief ministry yesterday.