Govt won't leave anyone behind in flood-hit hill tracts: State minister
"Whether they belong to the hill communities or are Bengalis, everyone has been equally affected by this natural disaster," said Amit
The government will not leave any affected person behind as it intensifies rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts following devastating floods and landslides in Chittagong and the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit said today (15 July).
"Whether they belong to the hill communities or are Bengalis, everyone has been equally affected by this natural disaster," said Amit, who is also coordinating the government's relief and rehabilitation efforts in the region.
"There will be no discrimination. The government is working with the utmost sincerity to alleviate the suffering of every single affected citizen."
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The state minister made the remarks this morning while distributing relief materials among Marma, Tanchangya, Tripura, Barua and Bengali families in the Balaghata Ambagan area under Ward No 1 of Bandarban Municipality.
Amit said he was visiting the flood-affected areas of Bandarban on the direct instructions of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to assess the situation on the ground.
To address immediate food shortages, the government has arranged cooked meals for people staying in flood shelters, while dry food packages are being distributed among those outside the shelters, according to a ministry press release.
Medical teams have also been deployed to provide emergency healthcare services in the affected areas.
During the relief distribution programme, local residents from different communities shared their grievances and structural challenges with the state minister.
Assuring them of prompt action, Amit said various government departments had already identified the key issues and were working on solutions.
He said directives had been issued to restore and make all crucial road networks at the upazila and union levels operational within a week.
The state minister also said he would return to the district soon to personally monitor the progress of the initiatives and oversee the post-disaster rehabilitation process.
He further assured residents that the government would rebuild and repair, in phases, all houses damaged or destroyed by the floods to help affected families return to normal life.
Amit also noted that as floodwaters recede, many areas are being left covered in thick mud, garbage and unhygienic debris, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases.
To address the issue, he said a comprehensive cleaning drive would be launched in coordination with the local administration, municipalities, public representatives and political activists to make the affected areas habitable and safe again as quickly as possible.
