Construction of 4000 cyclone, flood shelters on the cards

Minister tells parliament

28 June 2010, 18:00 PM

Bss, Sangsad Bhaban

Against the backdrop of the adverse impact of the climate change, the government has undertaken a plan to build 4,000 cyclone and flood shelters to protect the life and property of disaster-prone areas of the country. Food and Disaster Management Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque said this yesterday in the House in reply to a question from BNP lawmaker Lutfur Rahman. “The 4,000 cyclone and flood shelters will be constructed under the multi-donor trust fund and as part of the plan, a project to build 100 cyclone shelters has been waiting for approval by the planning commission,” he said. Replying to another question from Awami League lawmaker Md Shah Alam, he said there are 3,000 such shelters in the country now and 47,000 CPP volunteers have been provided training to reach advance message of cyclone to the people living in the coastal belts. Responding to another question from treasury bench member Golam Dastagir Gazi, the minister said the government has no plan for reintroduction of rationing system for low-income people. But, he said, the government has undertaken various steps to ensure food security of the low-income people under a food distribution programme. “The measures include sale of rice across the country under OMS, sale of rice to garment workers at low price and distribution of rice among the low-income groups through Fair Price Card,” he said. He said the government is actively considering supplying of rice and wheat to class four government employees as well as members of Village Defence Party (VDP) at low price.