Integrated policy to tackle natural calamity to be formulated
The government is taking initiatives to set up more cyclone shelters which will be used as multipurpose centres in coastal areas.
This was stated by Chairman of parliamentary standing committee on food and disaster management ministry Saidul Haq at a seminar in the city yesterday.
The seminar was organised jointly by the Coast Trust and April 29 Smirity Parishad at the National Press Club in the city commemorating the loss of lives caused by the devastating cyclone that hit the coastal areas in 1991.
The Awami League lawmaker said the government is taking steps to formulate an integrated policy to tackle natural calamity.
"We would put up a proposal to the government to hand over the maintenance of existing cyclone shelters to disaster management ministry as most of them are now in dilapidated condition," he added
Speaking as chief guest State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Hasan Mahmud stressed the need for capacity building since people know how to live with natural calamity.
He underscored the need for building safe houses as alternative to cyclone shelters in coastal areas to cope with the disaster.
The state minister also focused on forming an integrated housing policy for sustainable development.
The speakers said the government should provide the coastal people with home loan so that they can build sustainable houses to face disaster.
They also stressed the need for introducing community radio service which will help disseminate disaster-related information including danger signal numbers so that people can take precautionary steps accordingly.
Moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, executive director of Coast Trust, the programme was also attended by the lawmakers of the coastal areas.
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