The government has launched a coordinated nationwide response to tackle the impact of heavy rainfall, flooding, landslides and waterlogging, with rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts being carried out simultaneously under the Prime Minister's direct supervision, Prime Minister's Office spokesperson Mahdi Amin said on Saturday.
Speaking at a press conference at the Prime Minister's Office in Dhaka, Mahdi Amin said the Prime Minister had been monitoring the situation around the clock and had instructed all relevant ministries, local administrations and law enforcement agencies to remain alongside affected communities.
He said the five worst-hit districts in Chattogram Division—Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban—had experienced widespread flooding, landslides and waterlogging, causing severe hardship for residents.
According to the spokesperson, the Prime Minister has already held meetings with Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, Deputy Inspectors General, divisional commissioners, Civil Surgeons, Fire Service officials and other local authorities from the affected districts. During those meetings, officials were instructed to ensure uninterrupted rescue operations and provide maximum support to affected people.
Mahdi Amin said the Prime Minister is also due to meet divisional commissioners from across the country to review the evolving situation and issue further directives. He added that the entire state machinery, from Upazila Nirbahi Officers to district administrations, police, law enforcement agencies and other authorities, had been mobilised to coordinate rescue and relief efforts.
"Every ministry is carrying out its responsibilities under a coordinated national initiative directed by the Prime Minister," he said.
The spokesperson said State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit, had travelled to Chattogram to oversee implementation of the Prime Minister's directives, while Members of Parliament from affected constituencies had returned to their areas to assist relief operations.
He also said the Prime Minister had called on the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which he chairs, and its affiliated organisations to take part in rescue and relief efforts. According to Mahdi Amin, grassroots leaders and activists of the BNP, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal and other affiliated bodies are working alongside local communities in the affected districts.
More than Tk 20 million has already been distributed among affected people, he said, while rice and other essential relief supplies are being delivered to families whose homes have been damaged or destroyed.
Mahdi Amin said Higher Secondary Certificate examinations had been suspended in the affected districts, with discussions under way with local authorities on extending the suspension if necessary.
He said the Coast Guard had been deployed in coastal areas, Border Guard Bangladesh in border regions and the Bangladesh Army where required, while local law enforcement agencies continued to support rescue and emergency operations.
Warning of the risk of waterborne diseases, the spokesperson said medical teams had been mobilised nationwide and preparations made to ensure adequate supplies of medicines, particularly for snakebite treatment, as well as vaccines.
He added that the Local Government Engineering Department and the Roads and Highways Department had been instructed to prepare for rapid repairs to damaged roads and railway infrastructure once floodwaters recede. A food assistance programme will begin shortly, while rehabilitation efforts will prioritise compensation and support for families affected in agriculture, fisheries and livestock.
More than 1,000 emergency shelters have already been opened, with food, drinking water and sanitation facilities being prioritised, he said.
Mahdi Amin acknowledged that mobile network disruptions in several areas had affected communications but said local administrations, elected representatives and political leaders were working together to restore connectivity and strengthen coordination with affected communities.
He said the government's response was being implemented in three parallel phases—rescue, relief and rehabilitation—and stressed the importance of national unity during the disaster.
"The government stands beside every affected citizen with the highest level of responsibility and commitment," he said, adding that every effort was focused on ensuring the safety, relief and rehabilitation of people affected by the ongoing floods and landslides.
Prime Minister's Deputy Press Secretaries Md Suzauddhowla and Shahadat Hossain Shadhin, and Assistant Press Secretaries Md Nazmul Haque Khan and Abdullah Al Mahmud Shahriar were among those present at the press conference.
