'Dist admin played silent role, kept govt in dark'

The administration played a "silent role" and "kept the government in the dark about the flood situation and its aftermath".

The allegations were made by BNP leaders at a flood review meeting of district BNP Executive Committee, held Tuesday evening with its president Advocate Mujibur Rahman Mujib in the chair.

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So government relief allocation for the district is poor, the leaders said.

More than eight lakh people have been affected, and about three lakh of them have taken shelter on embankments, high lands and educational institutions on their own initiative, the meeting was told.

Crisis of food, water and medicine is prevailing in the affected areas.

Sixty-five unions and three pourasabhas in six upazilas of the district are still under water as all the rivers were flowing above red marks till yesterday.

Kulaura, Rajnagar, Kannalgonj and the Sadar upazilas are the worst affected.

There is no arrangement for press briefing by the administration.

A flood control room has been opened at the office of the Deputy Commissioner, but latest information or statistics on the flood situation is not available there.

The District Relief and Disaster Management Officer said on Tuesday that 600 tonnes of rice, Tk 7,50,000, 200 tins of biscuits and Tk two lakh house building grant were sanctioned.

He said the relief materials will be sent to Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs), who will distribute those in the affected areas through Union Council chairmen and numbers.

This correspondent visited flood affected Nazirabad, Khalilpur and Akhailkura unions in the Sadar upazila on Tuesday and talked to many affected people. But no one said he got any relief from the government. Some socio-cultural and political organisations distributed some relief, they said.

The Chairman of Uttarbag Union Parishad in Rajnagar upazila said he did not get any government relief for flood affected people. Some voluntary organisations are distributing relief in areas near roads. They are not going to remote places where the situation is serious, he said.

A senior BNP leader told this correspondent that the district BNP will now inform the government about the situation through the Finance Minister.

Mentionably, Deputy Commissioner Md Muklesur Rahman left Moulvibazar on Tuesday to join his new assignment in the Finance Ministry. The new Deputy Commissioner took charge yesterday.