With the monsoon flood started taking its toll on various districts particularly in the eastern and southeastern regions, the government has geared up relief operations in the affected areas through providing 1500 metric tonnes (MTs) of rice, Taka 44 lakh in cash and dry foods till date.
Besides, the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry also has disbursed 2100 tonnes of rice and Taka 42 lakh in advance for flood-prone 21 districts.
“We are carrying out a massive relief operation as the flash flood already has affected the districts like Sylhet, Moulvibazar and Cox’s Bazaar and it would continue till the receding of flood waters,” said Disaster Management and Relief Secretary Shah Kamal.
Under the programme, the government so far has distributed 800 tonnes of rice and Taka 30 lakh cash in Sylhet, 600 tonnes of rice and Taka 12 lakh in Moulvibazar, 100 tonnes of rice and Taka 2 lakh in Cox’s Bazaar and 100 tonnes of rice in Habiganj.
Apart from this, the relief ministry also has distributed 11,000 packets relief materials among the flood victims. Each packet contains 5-kg rice, 1-kg pulse, 1-liter oil, 1-kg sugar, 1-kg salt, 1-kg puffed rice, 1-kg flattened rice, 12 candles and 12 match-boxes.
Each of the districts of Sylhet, Moulvibazar and Cox’ Bazar has received 2000 packets of relief items while the districts of Habiganj, Chittagong, Rangamati and Lalmonirhat received 1000 packets each. Five hundred packets of relief materials were distributed to each of Bandarban and Khagrachari districts.
Moreover, the government has been providing 4500 tonnes of rice to some 50,000 flood affected fishermen and small poor farmers in five haor districts under the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme for three months till July this year.
Under the programme, 450 tonnes of rice is being distributed to some 5000 poor farmers and fishermen families in Sylhet, 1620 tonnes to 18000 poor families in Sunamganj, 360 tonnes to 4000 poor families in Moulvibazar, 1350 tonnes to 15000 families in Kishoreganj and 720 tonnes to 8000 poor families in Netrakona districts.
