Workers’ Party of Bangladesh (WPB) yesterday called on the government to take initiatives to remove stagnant water from some upazilas of Jessore and Satkhira districts by dredging Kobadak river and distribute relief materials among the distressed.

The demands were made at the Politburo meeting of the party at its office in the capital with WPB President Rashed Khan Menon in the chair.

The meeting was attended by General Secretary Bimal Biswas, politburo members Haidar Akbar Khan Rono, Nurul Hassan, Anisur Rahman Mallik, Shafiuddin Ahmed, Azizur Rahman and Nur Ahmed Bakul, says a press release.

The party leaders said over 10 lakh people were marooned in

seven upazilas of two districts and according to a government source crops on over 3875 hectors of land were destroyed as the government ignored the much-awaited demand of the locals to dredge the river.

Demanding distribution of sufficient relief goods among the distressed and their rehabilitation after receding the stagnant water, they expressed deep concern over the insufficient distribution of relief as the government has so far distributed only 13 tons of rice in three upazilas of Jessore.

They also urged the government to declare the areas still under stagnant water as a disaster area.

The meeting asked the local leaders of the party to stand by the affected people.

It also expressed deep concern as diarrhoea is spreading fast among the affected people.