Police, public admin hand out assistance to families in need
Civil administration and police in different districts have started distributing assistance to poor and underprivileged people who are facing severe hardship during the countrywide shutdown.
They are distributing rice, other food items, cash, soap and various daily essentials, report our correspondents.
In Sylhet, the district administration has allocated two tonnes of rice and Tk 80,000 for underprivileged and poor people. "We understand that allocation is insufficient. But we have started the programme. We have already requested higher authorities concerned for a bigger allocation," said Md Nurun Nabi Mazumdar.
Contacted, Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury said, "I along with many councillors of the city corporation have decided to help the poor people from our remuneration."
He also informed that SCC authorities are planning to waive taxes and other utility bills for the poor.
Meanwhile, Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) is selling sugar, lentil and soybean oil.
In Bagerhat, the district administration has allocated 100 tonnes of rice and Tk 10 lakh for poor people in the district and started distributing daily essentials from door to door.
The district's deputy commissioner (DC) inaugurated the initiative at Sugondhi village under Sadar upazila yesterday.
Under this programme, each poor family will get 10kg rice, 2kg potato, 1kg each of lentil, salt, onion, 1 litre oil and 1 piece of soap.
"This will benefit my family greatly as I have not been able to work in the past few days," said Rajab Ali, a rickshaw puller of the area.
Meanwhile, army and officials of district administration in Bagerhat are conducting awareness campaign through loudspeaker.
In Jashore, police distributed food items and daily essentials among poor people in the district town.
The district's Superintendent of Police Muhammad Ashraf Hossain yesterday visited different slums at Nazir Shankarpur, Ishaq road, Railgate and its adjacent areas in the town and distributed the items among 250 poor families. Each family got 10 kg rice, 5 kg lentil, 2 litre oil and one soap.
In Cox's Bazar, the district's deputy commissioner Md Kamal Hossain has started visiting different streets in the town and distributing food items to destitute and poor people. "Besides, the district administration has already started distributing rice to poor families. Initially, we are giving 20 kg rice to each family," said the DC.
Our correspondents from Sylhet, Bagerhat, Benapole and Cox's Bazar contributed to the story.