Cyclonic storm Fani is no longer a danger, Secretary of Disaster Management and Relief Shah Kamal has said.
"The danger posed by Fani has passed," he said at a press conference held at the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry, at 1:30pm on Saturday. "There has not been a lot of damage either. We will not face any problem in overcoming these damages."
Disaster Management and Relief State Minister Dr Enamur Rahman, Information Secretary Abdul Malek, Shamsuddin Ahmed, Director, Bangladesh Meteorological Department, Cabinet Secretary Shafiul Alam, and other officers were also present at the press conference.
Shah Kamal said: "We started taking preparations against Fani ever since the Met office issued a bulletin on Fani, on April 24."
Expressing sorrow for those who died because of Fani, the secretary said: "They lost their lives because they did not take shelter in the cyclone centres. There was no shortage of food, medicine, or even cash in the shelters.”
"We will take measures to ensure nobody gets left out of the shelters in the future," he added.
The families of the deceased will each receive Tk20,000, the secretary said.
"The current government is efficient and strong," he said. "We will face no problems in overcoming the damages caused in the aftermath of Fani. We will not even need to ask for foreign aid."
When asked about the quantity of damages caused, the state minister said it will take 24 hours to tally the damages and arrive at a total.
Director of Bangladesh Meteorological Department, Shamsuddin Ahmed, said: "The dangers of Fani have passed. It has turned into a land deep depression, which is why we have advised the maritime ports to lower their danger signal numbers, to local cautionary signal no. 3."
Those who have sought shelter in the cyclone centres can return home by 4pm, he said. "We will ensure they are returned safely."
Shamsuddin added: "1,640,000 people, from 19 districts, have been sheltered in 4,000 cyclone centres. Croplands and cattle have not suffered much damage either. The casualties that were reported, occurred because they did not go to the shelters."
"We have taken measures following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's instructions," the prime minister's Chief Secretary, Nazibur Rahman, said. "The navy and the air force have been kept prepared, to conduct recovery in the aftermath of Fani. They will work wherever necessary."
The Rohingyas have also been taken care of, Cabinet Secretary Shafiul Alam said. "We have not faced any problems while taking them to safety."
Cyclone Fani, which hit Odisha of India severely on Friday, has turned into a land deep depression, and moved in a north-northeasterly direction further inland, crossing Sylhet.
It will turn into a land minor depression, and finally move towards Meghalaya region in India, leaving Bangladesh, in a few hours.
Until now, 14 people of eight districts have been reported dead in the wake of the storm.
