JOYPURHAT Oct 9 Awa mi League president Sheikh Hasina today called for declaring the flood-hit northern districts as distressed area' and taking pragmatic steps to mitigate suffering of the flood victims, reports UNB.

Addressing a meeting at Akkelpur.she accused the government of plundering relief materials and said the BNP has no right to stay in power any longer

Referring to the plight of the flood affected people. Hasina said: "Only this government's lust for power has increased the misery of the common people. Their sufferings will not go as long as BNP will remain power

The Awaml League chief said the Prime Minister's relief fund is now empty as the PM had distributed Tk 25 lakh to each of her ministers and MPs earlier when there was no disaster in the coun-

try.

"Those money have been misappropriated and now the people are not getting any thing, she alleged.

Hasina. now on an exten sive four-day tour of the flood affected areas of northern region. today visited vast areas of Rajshahi. Naogaon and Joypurhat districts

The AL chief told the gatherings that the govern ment said that the relief work was hampered because of hartals. "But when there was no hartal in the first week of this month, why they have not sent any relief to the flood hit areas." she asked.