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Affected areas visited

Cyclone shelters not adequate, says PM

By Reaz Ahmad, back from cyclone-hit areas
Prime Minister Sheikh Haslna yesterday visited the cyclone-hit areas of Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar and the coastal islands of Maheshkhali and Kutubdia to see the devastation caused by Monday's hurricane
She flew over the affected ar eas in an Army helicopter
"Unlike the 1991 cyclone, casualties are remarkably lower this time. Credit goes to
the timely precautionary measures." she said while addressing the district administration officials at Chittagong Circuit House yesterday afternoon. Earlier, she had a similar meeting with district administration officials of Cox's Bazar.
Noting that the present number of 700 cyclone shelters in the coastal area was inadequate. the Prime Minister said, "we need at least 2.000 cyclone shelters."
She said that steps would be taken soon to distribute khas land among the landless people of Kutubdia, while noting that the island was affected severely by Monday's cyclone. She also said that the cross-dam damaged by the storm at Kutubdia, would be repaired soon.
She expressed her deep shock at the death of two infants due to suffocation inside an over-crowded cyclone shelter at Kutubdia.
The Prime Minister said that she had asked some of her cabinet colleagues to monitor and supervise relief activities in the affected areas. Law Minister Abdul Matin Khasru and State Minister for Planning Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, whoaccompanied the premier, stayed back at Moheshkhali and Kutubdia respectively. Home Minister Rafiqul Islam was stationed in Cox's Bazar, Forest and Environment Minister Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Food and Agriculture Minister Motiya Chowdhury and State Minister for Labour and Manpower Abdul Mannan were also stationed in Chittagong.
The Prime Minister sanctioned Tk 10 lakh in cash for Cox's Bazar district and also distributed some relief goods among 243 cyclone affected families at Kutubdia. She also witnessed distribution of food among the affected people at Laldia Char, one kilometre off the Chittagong International Airport. At Shikdarpara in Moheshkhali, Hasina consoled one Iman All, who lost his wife and four children in a wall collapse during the cyclone.
Earlier, two Army helicopters on carrying the Prime Minister and the other carrying a group of newsmen, took off at 10:15 am from Dhaka for a daylong visit to the cyclone-hit areas.
A trail of devastation was seen as the helicopter carrying the newsmen flew low over the affected areas. Talking to newsmen at Moheshkhali and Kutubdia, affected people said that nearly 80 per cent of the kutcha houses and hundreds of shrimp and salt-beds and betelleaf plantations were damaged.
While briefing the Prime Minister, the Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar said 15 Sie were killed in the district : 80 to 90 per cent of the thatched houses and 70 per cent of the semi-pucca houses in the seven thanas of the district were damaged. He termed Monday's cyclone that hit Cox's Bazar with a maximum windspeed of 230 kph as the 'longest lasting storm' in recent memory.
Out of 17 lakh people in 2,500 sq kms area in the district. the DC said only 1.85,200
people could be evacuated and sheltered in 353 cyclone shelters. He drew the Premier's attention on the urgency of building more cyclone shelters.
As the helicopter landed at Moheshkhali College ground and later at a paddy field near Kutubdia College, homeless people in flocks gathered around newsmen and said that till yesterday afternoon no relief reached them.
Talking to The Daily Star. Mokbul Ahmed. Principal of Moheshkhali College, and Nepal Kanti Dey. Medical Technologist at the local thana health complex, said that relief is yet to reach the affected people in the area. "Priority-wise. I consider that these people should first be provided with house building materials so that they get roofs over their heads." said the college principal.
According to the DC of Cox's Bazar, 16 MT of rice, Tk 1.5 lakh in cash and some garments were sanctioned yesterday for distribution among the affected people in the district.
Prior to her return to Dhaka, the Prime Minister had a brief meeting with district administration. military officials and elites of the city in Chittagong and appreciated their combined efforts in facing the aftermath of the cyclone.
"Our people have proved once again that they are experienced in tackling such a situation. Now, after the ravage of the cyclone. the affectea people require food and pure drinking water on a priority basis," said Hasina.
She urged all to build houses on high lands in the cyclone-prone coastal belt and called for taking up vigorous aforestation programme.
On the second leg of her visits to the cyclone-hit areas, the Prime Minister is scheduled to leave Dhaka for Hatia island this morning. She will also visit Sandwip, St Martin. Tek-naf. Banshkhali and Anowara. according to officials at the Prime Minister’s Office.