The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Sunday criticised the government, saying that it was not taking action to relieve people from the sufferings wreaked on them by the recent flood and heavy rain in various districts.
Party’s senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the remarks at a press conference at its Naya Paltan central office in the capital.
He said that not much government effort was visible to ease people’s sufferings in the areas waterlogged due to heavy rain in Kushtia, Jashore and Khulna and in the flood-affected districts in Mymensingh division and other northern districts.Â
Urgent rehabilitation efforts were needed for the farmers affected in the recent flood, he said, adding that the government should play a major role in the post-flood rehabilitation process.Â
‘The government has to be proactive if it wants to maintain a steady supply of rice, pulses, vegetables, fish, meat, egg in the market. Farmers should be supported with increased supplies of fertilisers, pesticides and seeds or with incentives,’ he added.
Rizvi said that to maintain the quality of life, reconstruction of damaged houses, and mending of the sewage disposal system and electricity supply lines should be prioritised.
He also urged the government to take immediate measures to prevent malnutrition among children in the flood-affected and waterlogged districts, adding that sufficient medicine supply must be ensured to prevent and treat post-flood illnesses and water-borne diseases.
Among the worst affected by the flood and waterlogging caused by excessive rain were the saplings and vegetables farmers in Sherpur and Netrakona, he said.
Rizvi, on behalf of the party, also raised several demands as post-flood rehabilitation priorities.
The demands include—prepare of an accurate list of those whose crops were entirely destroyed in the flood and provide them with all relief assistance until the next crop along with interest-free agricultural loans, free fertilisers, seeds, pesticides and irrigation fuel; prepare a list of those whose houses were partially or completely destroyed in the flood and provide with assistance to rebuild their houses; and with floodwaters receding make free treatment and medicines available at the government healthcare facilities and set up area-based medical camps to give urgent healthcare services to the affected people.