Govt always responds fast to disasters
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said her government, unlike the previous governments, always responded very fast to the forecast of any disaster by engaging every human and material support to reduce the loss of lives and properties.
She was addressing a meeting of the National Disaster Management Council to review the preparations to face the possible assault of cyclone Amphan.
"We have the preparations [to face cyclone Amphan]. We are taking all possible measures to protect people's lives and properties from the cyclone," the PM said.
Hasina joined the meeting from the Gono Bhaban through videoconferencing. She sought blessings of Almighty Allah so that people's lives and properties were not affected by the cyclone.
PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the media after the meeting.
The premier expressed satisfaction at the overall preparations and thanked all concerned, including the disaster management and relief ministry, armed forces, police and local people involved in the process.
"Twenty lakh people have so far been evacuated to cyclone centres as part of advance preparations. As many as 13,241 cyclone shelter centres have already been opened to this end," she added.
Hasina recalled that the then BNP government took no steps when the deadly 1991 cyclone hit the country's south-eastern coastlines.
"Even they didn't care for the information about the disaster for which thousands of people were killed and air force planes, navy ships and other public properties got damaged in the cyclone."
The PM said then opposition Awami League leaders and activists reached reliefs to the cyclone affected people, before the government did.
She said disaster-related advance information is now being collected through satellite and agreements have been signed internationally to take prompt measures to disseminate information to the grassroots level to get prepared in advance to face any disaster.
Hasina said the people of Bangladesh would have to live facing various natural disasters due to its geographical location. "So, Bangladesh will always have to be ready to face any kind of man-made or natural disasters."
She said her government has achieved a great success in reducing risks and losses of lives and properties caused by various disasters like cyclone, which has gained international recognition.
Ministers concerned, the cabinet secretary and chiefs of the three services joined the meeting from the Secretariat in the capital through videoconferencing. The state minister for disaster management and relief took part in it from the Gono Bhaban.
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