State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit today said no flood-affected family would be deprived of relief and rehabilitation support.
He said the government has stood by the people of Cox's Bazar since the onset of the flooding, adding that additional allocations of relief and cash assistance have been provided to ensure necessary support for affected families.
The State Minister made the remarks while speaking to journalists after distributing relief among flood victims in Jhilongja Union of Cox's Bazar Sadar this morning, according to an official handout issued here.
He said a coordination meeting was held yesterday at the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar with officials from the district and upazila administrations, local members of parliament and representatives of various government agencies.
Anindya Islam Amit said the meeting also decided to provide additional allocations to every upazila after considering the supplementary requirements submitted by the respective upazila administrations.
He said that, under the instructions of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the government's objective is not only to distribute relief but also to restore the normal lives of the affected people as quickly as possible.
To that end, assistance will be provided for repairing damaged houses and reconstructing roads, bridges, culverts, educational institutions and religious establishments. Information on losses in the agriculture, fisheries and livestock sectors will also be collected promptly to implement necessary rehabilitation measures.
Referring to fatalities caused by landslides, the State Minister said living at the foothills is extremely risky. He said the government has undertaken plans to rehabilitate residents of high-risk areas by providing land and constructing houses in safer locations.
He also stressed the important role of the media in raising public awareness of the issue.
Amit added that the government has taken a strict stance against illegal hill cutting and encroachment and will not allow any influential groups to engage in such activities.
On the coordination of relief operations, the State Minister said relief distribution and rehabilitation efforts are being carried out more effectively through the coordinated efforts of the district and upazila administrations, the Army, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Coast Guard, public representatives and private aid organisations.
Cox's Bazar-3 lawmaker Lutfur Rahman Kajal, Additional Deputy Inspector General of Chattogram Range Md. Nazimul Haque, Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md. A. Mannan, and Superintendent of Police (SP) ANM Sajedur Rahman, among others, were present.
