BNP on Saturday alleged that the government is obstructing the party’s relief activities in the flood-affected areas in Kurigram and Dinajpur districts ahead of the Prime Minister’s schedule visit there.
“As the Prime Minister is going to Kurigram tomorrow (Sunday), our party’s relief activities are not being allowed in the greater Rangpur and Dinajpur districts. We condemn the government’s such action,” said BNP vice chairman Abdullah Al Noman.
The BNP leader further said, “We don’t know why the government is obstructing us from distributing relief while people are dying and going through immense sufferings for lack of food.”
Noman, also the chief coordinator of BNP’s central relief committee, came up with the allegation at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit the flood-ravaged Kurigram and Dinajpur districts on Sunday to see for herself the devastation caused by the ongoing flood fury.
During the daylong tour, Sheikh Hasina will visit some affected areas in the two districts and distribute relief materials among the flood victims.
Noman alleged that the flood victims in different areas are going through serious ordeal as the government is yet to ensure adequate relief for them.
He urged the government to take effective steps to ease the sufferings of the flood victims by ensuring sufficient relief for them.
He also suggested the government take steps for holding talks with political parties to work out effective steps to tackle the flood situation.
Observing that the government’s overall food stock is insufficient, he feared that a severe food crisis may hit the country following the current sweeping flood that hit the northern and northeastern regions.
“According to government’s statistics, the country’s current food reserve is 2.1 lakh tonnes, but it should have 10 lakh tonnes. The government is saying they will import 15 lakh tonnes food. But it’s not an easy matter to import such huge mount of food. It will take long time,” the BNP leader said.
As per their party chairperson’s directives, Noman said, their party has taken a long-time plan to stand by the flood victims. “We’ll continue to provide the victims with relief materials as long as they suffer.”
