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existing government regulations.

The government has already taken initiatives to ensure continuity of vaccine supply, strengthen vaccine stockpile management, expand disease surveillance, reinforce rapid outbreak detection and response systems, raise public awareness, and improve coordination with national and international partners, he said.

Replying to another query from lawmaker Masum Mostofa, Tarique said an announcement had been made to recruit one lakh health workers, as pledged in the election manifesto of the current government.

There are 17,870 approved posts of different categories of medical officers at upazila-level service centres and union-level health and family welfare service centres, he said.

Of them, 11,501 posts are filled while 6,359 remain vacant. Recruitment activities are ongoing to fill the vacancies, he added.

Responding to a query from Manjurul Islam MP, the PM said universal health protection would be ensured in light of the “Health for All” policy mentioned in the government’s election manifesto.

The prime minister also told parliament that technical and financial assessments are underway to construct a new barrage on the Teesta river to store water during the dry season.

Responding to a query from Rangpur-4 MP Akhter Hossen, he said a survey for a sustainable and integrated Teesta development plan had already been completed.

Tarique said the Teesta is vital to the livelihoods of people in northern Bangladesh. Reduced dry-season water flow due to upstream dams and other constraints is affecting agriculture, including the Teesta Irrigation Project, while excessive upstream rainfall during the monsoon often causes floods and riverbank erosion.

He said riverbank protection works covering 42.5 kilometres are underway in five Teesta basin districts at a cost of Tk 230 crore and are scheduled to be completed this month.

He also said 4.6 kilometres of riverbank protection works, worth around Tk 24 crore, are being implemented in the Rangpur-4 constituency and are expected to significantly reduce erosion.

Replying to another query from Robiul Awal MP, Tarique said the government’s election manifesto has emphasised combating climate change.

To combat the negative effects of climate change, the government has adopted multifaceted action plans and activities in the water resources sector, including implementation of the Padma Barrage, the Teesta Master Plan, prevention of river erosion, ensuring safety during floods, and reducing salinity in agricultural land.