BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Sunday demanded the government to declare the flood-hit haor areas as disaster ones for the next six months.
In a statement, she also alleged that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina failed to realise the severity of the situation the haor people are going through flowing the flashflood.
“I strongly demand the government to announce the haor areas as disaster zones for the next six months, and take sincere and emergency steps to ensure the welfare of the victims and protect the interests of the seriously affected people,” the BNP chief said, reports UNB.
She also urged all irrespective of their party and opinion to stand beside the disaster-hit haor people.
Referring to the Prime Minister’s today’s visit to Sunamganj haor areas, Khaleda said, “I’m deeply worried over the overall situation in the haor areas. I got a little bit optimistic over the news of Sheikh Hasina’s visit to the affected areas as the Prime Minister. She is mainly responsible for tackling the disaster, no matter how she is in power.”
She further said, “I’d an expectation that after her visit she (PM) would declare the areas as disaster zones. Unfortunately, she didn’t.  “Observing her traditional activities and statements in the affected areas, it seems to me that she has failed to realise the gravity of the situation or she didn’t want to admit it.”
Khaleda urged the government to provide the victims with food assistance until the harvest of new crops in the haor areas alongside waiving the interest of the farmers’ agriculture loan and suspending the installment collection of all types of loan. [Read More]

—–
Source: The Financial Express