Special Correspondent :
A joint working group has been formed involving the officials of Bangladesh government, United Nations and non-government organizations to assess the damage by the cyclone ‘Mora’ that recently hit the country’s coastal belt.
The group has already started work in this regard to provide a comprehensive report within 72 hours. Based on the report, necessary steps, including fund allotment, will be taken to look after the cyclone victims. The Reliefweb, quoting the UN Resident Representative in Bangladesh, informed the matter yesterday.
Responding to the humanitarian appeal, several international organisations have come forward by extending their helping hands to provide humanitarian and other support to the affected people.
Of them, the World Food Programme has distributed huge dry foods, including 122 metric tonnes of biscuits, in the cyclone hit areas.
The UNHCR and International Organisation of Migration are now giving different relief goods to the victims at Balukhali area in the district of Cox’s Bazar. Besides, the International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent are collecting Disaster Emergency Relief Fund for emergency food, water and housing arrangements for affected 1 07, 000 people.
Apart from them, an Indian Naval ship “Sumitra” has been conducting rescue operation in the Bay of Bengal and rescued 33 persons from the deep sea, about 100 kilometer off the coast, on Wednesday.
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)-Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT) has estimated that 10,074,699 people were living in regions that were exposed to wind speeds of 120 km/h or more, and that some districts near Cox’s Bazaar and Chittagong were hit with gusts that topped 130 km/h.
To tackle the situation, Bangladesh government has allotted Tk 1.50 crore and 1,400 metric tonnes of rice for the affected people while two battle ships of Bangladesh Navy are engaged in distributing food and other relief items to different islands, including Saint Martin’s island.
Acting Secretary to the Ministry of Relief and Disaster Management said that 59,528 houses were damaged while 2 86, 245 persons were directly affected by the cyclone. Of the affected districts, the extent of damage was highest in Cox’s Bazar.
However, the local sources have claimed that actual number of the affected people was far higher than that the figure announced by the government.
Reports coming from the remote areas of Cox’s Bazar said that several people are now suffering from the shortage of food, shelter and dry land for cooking their meals.
Union Parishad chairman of Moheshkhali told the media yesterday that no relief item was sent to the remote area. The adjacent Matarbari union has received only 5.5 metric tonnes of rice till Thursday, said UP chairman Master Mohammad Ullah. Lawmaker of Moheshkhali-Kutubdia constituency Ashek Ullah Rafiq said the local people have started to repair their houses without wasting time for the relief goods.
A large area of hill district Bandarban was out of electricity till the time of filing this report on Thursday night. PDB officials said it will take two or three more days to get reconnected.
In this situation, an 18-member team led by Road Transport and Bridges Minister visited the spot in Cox’s Bazar district on Thursday.
Meanwhile, accusing the government of having failed to carry out notable relief efforts in the cyclone-hit areas, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has demanded prompt steps to ensure adequate food and assistance for the Mora victims. “I’m deeply shocked over the news that six people died and lakhs of people became homeless as the Cyclone Mora hit the country’s coastal areas,” she said on Wednesday.
A joint working group has been formed involving the officials of Bangladesh government, United Nations and non-government organizations to assess the damage by the cyclone ‘Mora’ that recently hit the country’s coastal belt.
The group has already started work in this regard to provide a comprehensive report within 72 hours. Based on the report, necessary steps, including fund allotment, will be taken to look after the cyclone victims. The Reliefweb, quoting the UN Resident Representative in Bangladesh, informed the matter yesterday.
Responding to the humanitarian appeal, several international organisations have come forward by extending their helping hands to provide humanitarian and other support to the affected people.
Of them, the World Food Programme has distributed huge dry foods, including 122 metric tonnes of biscuits, in the cyclone hit areas.
The UNHCR and International Organisation of Migration are now giving different relief goods to the victims at Balukhali area in the district of Cox’s Bazar. Besides, the International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent are collecting Disaster Emergency Relief Fund for emergency food, water and housing arrangements for affected 1 07, 000 people.
Apart from them, an Indian Naval ship “Sumitra” has been conducting rescue operation in the Bay of Bengal and rescued 33 persons from the deep sea, about 100 kilometer off the coast, on Wednesday.
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)-Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT) has estimated that 10,074,699 people were living in regions that were exposed to wind speeds of 120 km/h or more, and that some districts near Cox’s Bazaar and Chittagong were hit with gusts that topped 130 km/h.
To tackle the situation, Bangladesh government has allotted Tk 1.50 crore and 1,400 metric tonnes of rice for the affected people while two battle ships of Bangladesh Navy are engaged in distributing food and other relief items to different islands, including Saint Martin’s island.
Acting Secretary to the Ministry of Relief and Disaster Management said that 59,528 houses were damaged while 2 86, 245 persons were directly affected by the cyclone. Of the affected districts, the extent of damage was highest in Cox’s Bazar.
However, the local sources have claimed that actual number of the affected people was far higher than that the figure announced by the government.
Reports coming from the remote areas of Cox’s Bazar said that several people are now suffering from the shortage of food, shelter and dry land for cooking their meals.
Union Parishad chairman of Moheshkhali told the media yesterday that no relief item was sent to the remote area. The adjacent Matarbari union has received only 5.5 metric tonnes of rice till Thursday, said UP chairman Master Mohammad Ullah. Lawmaker of Moheshkhali-Kutubdia constituency Ashek Ullah Rafiq said the local people have started to repair their houses without wasting time for the relief goods.
A large area of hill district Bandarban was out of electricity till the time of filing this report on Thursday night. PDB officials said it will take two or three more days to get reconnected.
In this situation, an 18-member team led by Road Transport and Bridges Minister visited the spot in Cox’s Bazar district on Thursday.
Meanwhile, accusing the government of having failed to carry out notable relief efforts in the cyclone-hit areas, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has demanded prompt steps to ensure adequate food and assistance for the Mora victims. “I’m deeply shocked over the news that six people died and lakhs of people became homeless as the Cyclone Mora hit the country’s coastal areas,” she said on Wednesday.
