Dear countrymen, Assalamualaikum
Today I have come before you at a time of a serious natural disaster. All areas of Bangladesh have been endangered by a flood today. Thirty eight districts of the country have gone under water. Eight million people have been affected by the flood. There is no room for us to sit at home at this moment of crisis faced by this huge helpless population. People of all classes and professions irrespective of parties or opinions in the society should come forward to the aid of flood affected people. One should come forward with whatever capacity one has to extend the hands of help and participate spontaneously in relief activities. Otherwise, as a citizen of an independent country, performance of our duties will remain incomplete.

Dear countrymen,
The present government is totally accountable to the people. As a part of this accountability I want to throw some light on the latest flood situation in the country and the steps taken by the government, for your information. Because of the continuation of heavy and medium downpour during the last few weeks together with onrush of water from the other side of the border, flood water is inundating new areas almost everyday. Till now, 75 flood control embankments have been damaged. Till yesterday, 230 upazilas and 1,660 unions under 38 districts have been affected. Death toll stood at 120. Nearly 90,000 houses have been damaged totally while nearly another 6,00,000 were damaged partially. Crops on 6,00,000 acres of land have been damaged totally and crops on another 6,00,000 acres have been damaged partially.

Dear countrymen,
The government has already taken some measures to face the flood situation, distributing relief materials and helping the affected people. To that end, the National Disaster Management Committee and the Inter-ministerial Coordination Committee have been further strengthened. To tackle the situation, the coordination committees have been formed with participation of the government, private organizations, and NGOs at district and upazila levels, and those are functioning. Members of the armed forces have been making important contributions helping the civil administration in relief and rehabilitation work in each area. The overall responsibility of supervising the relief operations in the flood affected districts have been given to the members of the advisory council today. Apart from carrying out the flood monitoring, they will also inspire the people of all walks of life to participate in the relief and rehabilitation work.

The government has taken well coordinated programmes in every step to tackle the flood situation. At the government's initiatives the flood affected people have been given shelters in 1,175 centres. With a view to providing assistance and rehabilitation to the people, food, drinking water, clothes, cash, corrugated iron sheets, and house building grants are also being distributed. Directives have been given to intensify security of the flood affected people. Medicare facilities are being provided by forming medical teams at district and upazila levels. The ministries of food and disaster management, agriculture, health and communications and other ministries, divisions and departments have been directed to take up public health programmes. In the meantime flood water has started receding in some places in the country. Agriculture and house rehabilitation programmes will be further geared up as soon as the water recedes.

Natural calamities bring opportunities for nations to be united, and the ongoing flood has brought such a chance for us. I fervently call upon the people of all walks of life irrespective of professions and classes to come forward with helping hands in relief and rehabilitation tasks among the flood affected people. In the past, all the people of the country irrespective of professions and classes came forward to mitigate the sufferings of the distressed. I firmly believe that this time around also all will do the same. We will cordially accept spontaneous help and assistance from development partners at home and abroad.

Those who want to participate in the relief and rehabilitation activities can contribute in cash and kind centrally to the chief adviser's relief fund while at local levels such contributions can be made to the district committees. We will welcome your cooperation and assistance to the district and upazila disaster management committees for integrating relief and rehabilitation as well as for healthcare activities among the flood affected people.

We are optimistic that we can overcome this natural disaster through united and integrated efforts of the civil and military administrations and of the people of all classes and professions.

With the increase in flood water, a trend of increase in prices of essentials is also being noticed. I appeal to the business community to demonstrate their social accountability by keeping the prices of essentials within a tolerable limit in such a disastrous moment for the nation. On behalf of the government, surveillance is being strengthened for monitoring the market situation and prices of essentials on a regular basis.

Dear countrymen,
There are invincible courage and spirit among the people of this land. Our people possess the utmost courage and fortitude despite being poor. Their resilience in the face of extreme disaster is almost astonishing. They have time and again attained respect of the international community through overcoming many natural disasters and by quickly returning to their normal life. Such an invincible courage is rare in the world.

This is my firm conviction that like in the past this time around also we will successfully overcome the disastrous situation through our united endeavours. Let us stand beside the flood-hit people hand in hand imbued with a deep sense of patriotism and humane kindness. Let us face the calamity together with whatever we have in our disposal.

May the almighty be helpful in our united endeavours.

Allah Hafez.