Commerce, Industries, Textiles and Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir on Saturday said the government is implementing a range of development programmes to improve people's living standards and build disaster-resilient infrastructure, with particular focus on agriculture, irrigation, communication and disaster management.
Speaking as the chief guest at a programme in Sadar upazila of Sylhet, he said the government's development strategy prioritises sustainable infrastructure and social protection to strengthen resilience against natural disasters.
The event marked the distribution of GR rice and cash assistance among farmers, poor and vulnerable people affected by recent natural disasters, as well as the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the Rajargaon Jamiul Uloom Madrasa Flood Shelter project.
Muktadir said around 2,000 beneficiaries will receive 30 kg of rice each under the ongoing relief programme, while nearly 700 people will receive cash assistance of Tk 1,000 each.
He said the three-storey Rajargaon Jamiul Ulum Madrasa and Flood Shelter will serve as an educational institution during normal times and function as a shelter during floods and other natural disasters after its completion.
The building will include separate rooms and bathrooms for women, children, elderly people and persons with disabilities to ensure safe accommodation during emergencies, he added.
The Minister said an infrastructure development project worth approximately Tk 8.7 crore is currently being implemented to strengthen disaster resilience and improve overall development in the area.
He also said the government has approved another project worth nearly Tk 50 billion for the development of roads, construction of new road networks, installation of drainage systems and tube wells across Sylhet division.
The government is also taking steps to bring fallow land under cultivation by addressing temporary waterlogging and irrigation shortages, he said.
Muktadir added that canal excavation programmes will be expanded to strengthen irrigation facilities, enabling year-round cultivation on agricultural land in Sylhet.
He expressed hope that the phased implementation of these projects would resolve many of the region's longstanding problems and improve the quality of life for local residents.