Floods, Landslides Kill 30; Over 1,000 Shelters Open

At least 30 people have died in floods and landslides triggered by days of heavy rainfall across Chattogram and the Chattogram Hill Tracts, while the government has opened 1,057 emergency shelters for displaced residents, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu told Parliament on Thursday.

The fatalities include 19 in Cox's Bazar, five in Chattogram, five in Bandarban and one in Rangamati, the minister said while delivering a statement under Rule 300 of the Rules of Procedure in the Jatiya Sangsad.

He said the government is giving top priority to protecting people affected by the disasters and providing emergency humanitarian assistance.

Describing the response as being carried out on a war footing, Dulu said 1,057 shelters have been opened across the affected districts, including 41 in Chattogram, 640 in Cox's Bazar, 21 in Rangamati, 135 in Khagrachhari and 220 in Bandarban.

According to the minister, 8,340 people have taken shelter in Chattogram, while 126 are staying in shelters in Rangamati, 1,755 in Khagrachhari and 2,173 in Bandarban.

To support relief efforts, the government initially allocated Tk 1 million in cash under the Gratuitous Relief (GR) programme and 200 metric tonnes of rice to each of the five affected districts on July 7.

Additional relief was approved on Thursday, with Chattogram receiving Tk 2.5 million, Cox's Bazar Tk 2 million, and Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban Tk 1 million each.

The government also allocated an additional 300 metric tonnes of rice for Chattogram, 250 metric tonnes for Cox's Bazar, and 200 metric tonnes each for Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban.

The minister said authorities are continuing public awareness campaigns through loudspeaker announcements, urging residents in landslide-prone and low-lying areas to move to safer places.

He added that shelters have been equipped with safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, baby food and arrangements for three meals a day.

Dulu also said the Prime Minister's Relief and Welfare Fund has allocated Tk 2 million for each of the affected districts, adding that further assistance would be provided if necessary.

Highlighting the recurring loss of lives in landslides, the minister said the government plans to rehabilitate families living on vulnerable hill slopes by constructing homes on khas and other government land.

He urged lawmakers to help raise public awareness and support relocation efforts to reduce future casualties.

Meanwhile, State Minister for Land and Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Mir Mohammed Helal Uddin informed Parliament that 1,300 metric tonnes of rice had been distributed across the three hill districts on Wednesday.