Bangladesh News

The Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) yesterday observed that the Aila-affected southern part of the country might emerge as a monga-prone region unless urgent steps are taken.

Hossain Zillur Rahman, executive chairman of PPRC, during a press conference at the PPRC in Dhanmondi accused the government of not giving proper attention to rehabilitate the affected people, for which, Aila-hit Satkhira and nearby regions still look like a war zone even after seven months of the calamity.

A PPRC team led by Zillur Rahman visited the Aila-hit areas of Satkhira last week. The press briefing was organised to share their first-hand experience and inform the government about the needs of the affected people.

Zillur said about 43 thousand people of Koira, Dakop and Shyamnagar are still living on embankments. The situation is worsening due to the cold wave.

“Since the winter has set in, people especially women and children of the region are suffering from serious health problems,” he added.

“Without livelihood, people of these areas feel abandoned as they are not receiving much response,” he said, adding, “The southern region of the country may turn into a new monga zone.”

He said though people are receiving food under the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme, reconstruction of the dam has appeared to be more urgent as the damage in it is increasing every day.

To the people reconstruction of embankment is a dire need at present, said Zillur, adding that Aila damaged a 50-foot stretch of the dam, which has increased to 300 feet, as instant actions had not been taken, he said.

Former adviser to the last caretaker government Zillur Rahman alleged that discussions on Bangladesh at the ongoing climate change summit in Copenhagen are creating panic among the people living in the coastal areas.

He concluded that the resilience and strength of these people should be highlighted in the Copenhagen climate change summit.