Staff Correspondent

Brac has announced to assist 50,000 severely flood affected families with Tk 2,000 as cash assistance for each family.

A total of Tk 10 crore will be given to families in 15 worst-flood hit upazilas in seven districts -- Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Bogra, Serajgonj, Jamalpur and Sunamganj, said a press release of the world’s largest NGO.

It said the assistance will be sent through bKash service.

“We are committed to stand by people seriously affected by this year’s flood and give cash assistance which will help them meet their urgent necessities,” said Asif Saleh, executive director of Brac.

He also called on individuals and institutions to extend their generosity towards these families in distress.

“BRAC has taken up an initiative to collect funds so that more families can be reached with assistance.”

Some 4.7 million people in 31 districts have been affected by flood this year with Jamalpur having most of its region inundated. So far, 41 people have died, mostly by drowning, while nearly one million households are waterlogged. Around 90,000 people with around 76,000 cattle are staying at emergency flood shelters, said Brac.

Early warning messages were sent through four community radio stations, social media platforms and its field staff in the remote and worst hit regions, by incorporating Covid-19 measures.

Besides, dry food and oral saline packets were distributed to the waterlogged families in Islampur and Dewanganj upazilas of Jamalpur.

Brac also installed sanitary latrines adjacent to the flood shelters at Porsha of Naogaon district. Assistance was reached to the worst suffering families in Kurigram from a fund contributed by Greta Thunberg Foundation, it said.