Declare flood-hit haors as disaster zones Says Khaleda

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday demanded that the government declare the flood-hit haor areas as disaster zones for the next six months and take emergency steps to ensure the welfare of the victims.

In a statement, she also alleged that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina failed to realise the severity of the situation the haor people are going through.

Khaleda urged the government to provide the victims with food assistance till new harvest time and rehabilitate them, compensate the affected farmers, provide them with interest-free and long-term loans, waive their interest of agriculture loan, and suspend the installment collection of all types of loan.

Khaleda also urged the government not to do politics over the sufferings of the flood victims.  She also demanded immediate implementation of haor development plans checking corruption, irregularities, coordination problem and bureaucratic tangle.

"Instead of carrying out relief activities it has become more important for the ruling party to dismiss media reports that said fish and aquatic animals in the haor areas died following the mixture of uranium materials from the neighbouring country," the BNP chief said.

The BNP chief also urged all, irrespective of their parties and opinions, to stand beside the disaster-hit haor people.