News Flash
SANGSAD BHABAN, July 9, 2026 (BSS) - Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu today said the government is attaching highest priority to ensuring the safety of people affected by floods and landslides and providing them with emergency relief assistance.
“The government is working with the highest importance to ensure the safety of the affected people and provide relief assistance,” he said in a statement delivered under Rule 300 of the Rules of Procedure in the Jatiya Sangsad today.
The minister said incessant rainfall-triggered landslides and floods in Chattogram and the Chattogram Hill Tracts have so far claimed 19 lives in Cox’s Bazar, five in Chattogram, five in Bandarban and one in Rangamati.
He said a total of 1,057 shelters have been opened in the affected districts—41 in Chattogram, 640 in Cox’s Bazar, 21 in Rangamati, 135 in Khagrachhari and 220 in Bandarban.
According to the minister, 8,340 people have taken shelter in Chattogram, 126 in Rangamati, 1,755 in Khagrachhari and 2,173 in Bandarban.
Dulu said the government had initially allocated Tk 1 million in cash under the Gratuitous Relief (GR) programme and 200 metric tons of rice for each of the five affected districts on July 7.
He said additional allocations were approved today, including Tk 2.5 million for Chattogram, Tk 2 million for Cox’s Bazar and Tk 1 million each for Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban.
In addition, the government allocated 300 metric tons of rice for Chattogram, 250 metric tons for Cox’s Bazar and 200 metric tons each for Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban, he added.
The minister said public announcements through loudspeakers are continuing to encourage people living in vulnerable areas to move to safer locations.
He said arrangements have been made at the shelters to ensure safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, baby food and three meals a day for the displaced people.
“The secretary of the ministry is staying in the affected areas to oversee the response, while district and upazila administrations are working round the clock to tackle the disaster situation,” he said.
Dulu also said the Prime Minister’s Relief and Welfare Fund has allocated Tk 2 million for each of the affected districts.
“The Prime Minister is closely monitoring the situation and providing necessary directives. More emergency assistance will be allocated if required,” he added.
Referring to the recurring loss of lives from landslides, the minister said the government is ready to rehabilitate families living on vulnerable hill slopes by constructing houses for them on khas land and other government land.
He urged local lawmakers to play an active role in raising public awareness and supporting the relocation initiative, expressing hope that coordinated efforts would significantly reduce future casualties from landslides.
Meanwhile, State Minister for Land and Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Mir Mohammed Helal Uddin informed the House under Rule 300 that 1,300 metric tons of rice had been distributed yesterday (Wednesday) among the three hill districts.
He also said that, following the Prime Minister’s directive, a special allocation of Tk 2 million each from the Prime Minister’s Relief and Welfare Fund had been released this morning to the district administrations of Chattogram, Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban to support emergency disaster response.
