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Dr Kamal seeks national dialogue to tackle flood

Regional initiative by BD, India, Nepal, Bhutan, China stressed


July 23, 2019 00:00:00


Ganoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain speaking at a press conference on 'current flood situation' organised by his party at the National Press Club in the city on Monday — Focus Bangla

Gonoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain has called for holding a national dialogue to find ways to effectively overcome the current flood, reports UNB.

He said the government cannot alone tackle the natural disaster.

"We face flood due to our geographical position but we need to find ways to minimise it and save people from sufferings and financial losses. I think a national dialogue is necessary immediately in this regard," he said.

Dr Kamal made the call while speaking at a press conference on 'current flood situation' organised by his party at the National Press Club in the city on Monday.

He said both the government and the citizens have a role in tackling the flood situation." I call upon the government let's sit together and work out action plans to tackle the situation with united efforts."

The Gonoforum chief, however, alleged the government cannot tackle the flood situation involving people as there is no effective democracy in the country. "But we all need to make our efforts to control the flood situation."

Dr Kamal, also the convener of Jatiya Oikyafront, said people should be more active and organised to resolve the country's problem.

"There're some issues like flood that should be considered from the national point of view. We should come forward rising above parochial political interest to assuage public sufferings and stand beside flood victims," he added.

Sought reasons why Jatiya Oikyafront is reluctant to come forward to tackle flood, Dr Kamal said the alliance was formed with some political parties ahead of the election on political consideration.

"But, I think, people's unity, not the Jatiya Oikyafront, is important to tackle it (flood)." The unity of not only a few parties, but also that of all parties and people is necessary to overcome the situation," he observed.

Replying to another question about the existence of Oikyafront, Dr Kamal said the alliance's main focus is on the election and they will continue to work to reach their objectives regarding the national election.

Gonoforum executive president Prof Abu Sayeed alleged the government is staging a farce in the name of relief distribution among the flood victims.

He said a team of his party, led by its presidium member AMSA Amin, is carrying out relief activities in Kurigram where the government could not send relief materials, including food, medicines and pure drinking water, to many remote areas.

"Around 70.8 per cent people in Kurigram are living under the poverty line. But the government has allocated Tk 1.12 and 66 gram rice for each of 1.2 million flood victims in the district over the last one and a half weeks. It's nothing but a farce in the name of relief," the Gonoforum leader said.

Sayeed, also a former Awami League minister, alleged that the government is reluctant about standing beside the flood-hit people with necessary support to assuage their sufferings.

He alleged the flood-affected people are being forced to pay toll to stay on the flood-control embankments while their belongings and cattle are being snatched.

Sayeed placed his party's six-point demand, including immediately ensuring safety and shelter, adequate food, pure water, medicine and treatment for the flood victims, forming relief committees involving people for ensuring transparency and accountability in relief distribution, taking prompt steps to send relief materials to char and remote areas, and announcing the badly affected areas as disaster ones.

Besides, the party said it is necessary to take an effective regional initiative by Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan and China to resolve water-related problems, ensure effective river management and control flood.


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