An all-party parliamentary watchdog on local government ministry yesterday asked union, upazila and district councils to provide food and shelter for those affected by Cyclone Mahasen.
“We have suggested that the local government bodies should remain alert about Mahasen and provide all possible support to the people in the coastal areas,” Rahmat Ali, the committee chairman, said after the 53rd meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on local government ministry.
He said his committee unanimously recommended that the local government bodies should work in coordination with the district and upazila administration for post-storm relief and rehabilitation activities.
The offices of the union parishad, the lowest tier of local government bodies, upazila and district councils and the pourashavas traditionally use their offices as the temporary shelters for the affected people.
The chairman said his committee was satisfied with the evacuation moves of the government to face the crisis in the coastal districts.
Out of the total 19 coastal districts, Mahasen hit most the bay facing towns and villages. Meteorological department officials say many of the districts will go under eight to ten feet of water due to the impact of Mahasen.
Committee members Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury, AKM Mostafizur Rahman, Md Monowar Hossain Chowdhury and Ashrafunnesa Mosharraf of the Awami League and Abul Khayer Bhuiyan of the main opposition attended the meeting at the parliament building.
