No one should create unnecessary panic that would only harm the relief efforts, and the government is not willing to ask for foreign assistance at this stage as there are adequate resources to tackle the flood situation, he told a press briefing at the Chief Adviser's Office.

"Some people are trying to use the floods as an opportunity to do politics, but this is not right. They should come forward to help people for the sake of humanity," Mainul said.

He was replying to a question on BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's comments that political parties are not being able to provide relief to the flood-affected people due to the ban on politics.

Welcoming Mannan Bhuiyan's statement that everyone should come forward to help the flood-affected people regardless of their political colours and that should not be under a political banner, Mainul said, "I am very happy that they want to help without banners, because this is a humanitarian concern."

He said the government is not willing to ask for foreign assistance at this stage.

Sources, however, said the government would look to ask for foreign assistance in the post-floods reconstruction effort.

Mainul also said the caretaker government has no political motives centring their relief efforts as it is only an interim government overseeing the country through to elections next year.

There is no obstacle in the way of anyone wanting to help the flood-affected people, Relief and Disaster Management Adviser Tapan Chowdhury said at the press briefing.

He added that NGOs have been ordered to coordinate their relief programmes with the local government officials and the military relief efforts.