Call for national unity to tackle post-flood crisis

Eminent lawyer Dr Kamal Hossain speaks at a discussion at the auditorium of the Institution of Engineers in the city yesterday.Photo: STAR

Speakers at a discussion yesterday called for national unity to face the challenges in the aftermath of floods.
The government and the people should work together to mitigate the suffering of the people and repair the damage, they said, adding that the flood has caused a loss of around Tk 3000 crore.
Presiding over the discussion at the auditorium of the Institution of Engineers in the city, eminent lawyer Dr Kamal Hossain called on all to work together to boost the economy of the country.
He also stressed the need to stamp out discrimination from society.
Sultana Kamal, former adviser to the caretaker government, said the government has failed to bring together all sections of people to tackle the floods.
Now the government should take up various projects to help people minimise their losses, she added.
Reading out a written statement, engineer Abul Kashem said the government should start test relief and work for food programmes immediately to help day-labourers and farmers.
He also called for immediate steps to repair tubewells in the flood-affected areas.
At the discussion, the speakers urged the government to take necessary steps to control the spiralling prices of essentials.
Prof Qazi Kholiquzzaman, president of Bangladesh Economic Association, said the government would have to reduce the development budget to tackle the post-flood situation.
He also called on the government and the non-government organisations to waive the interests on loans to help save the poor people.
Eminent banker Ibrahim Khaled suggested rehabilitating small traders who were evicted from village markets as they are now facing severe financial hardship in the aftermath of the flood.