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Battered by Mahasen, victims now reel from cold bite

SOHRAB HOSSAIN, Patuakhali
Thousands of poor people, especially those living in over 200 char (coastal island) areas of the district, are badly suffering amid the ongoing cold spell and dense fog.
Worst is the condition of those who lost their houses during the onslaught of super cyclone Mahasen on May 16 last year but are yet to be able to rebuild them.
Meanwhile, Tk 13 crore allocated for rebuilding 6,500 of the 10,597 badly damaged houses in the district had to be refunded as the local administration failed to make proper use of the allocated money within the stipulated time, said sources of Patuakhali District Relief and Rehabilitation Office (DRRO).
"I am passing hard days with my family of seven as 1 could not rebuild my house that was totally damaged by the Mahasen," Md Jakir Hossain, a day labourer of Pathimara village in Kalapara upazila.
"We find it hard to manage three times meal. How will we buy worm clothes?" said Anwara Begum, 50, a woman of Char Kazal, a coastal island in Calachipa upazila.
Patuakhali Met office recorded 10 degrees Celsius temperature on Friday, said Md Rahat Hossain, an official.
Amid the biting cold, outside workers, especially day labourers are undergoing a tough time while many people are getting cold related diseases.
After receiving theTk 13 crore government fund on June 9 last year, the district administration selected 6,500 houses -- 2,230 in
Kalapara, 2,190 in Rangabali, 975 in Galachipa, 422 in Sadar, 234 in Dashmina, 227 in Mirzaganj, 163 in Baufal and 59 in Dumki upazila, to give Tk 20,000 each for their rebuilding.
The district administration sent the money to the upazila administration authorities and as per condition, the latter were to hand over Tk 20,000 to each of the listed people for
rebuilding their houses and send photographs of both the existing and rebuilt houses to the higher authorities within June 30, DRRO sources said.
But the task was a practically impossible one as the time was too short, said the officials concerned.
As the stipulated time expired without completion of the work, the ministry concerned asked the district administration to refund all
the money and the latter did it on July 1.
"After getting the allocation on June 9, we sent it to the upazila authorities but they failed to spend the money as the time limit was very short. We sent letter to the ministry concerned for reallocation of money for the new fiscal year but we are yet to get any response," said Shanti Ranjon Baidya, district relief and rehabilitation officer.