BSS, Dhaka:

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday asked all concerned, including civil administration, to take necessary preparations in advance to face probable floods in the country.

The premier gave the directive while chairing the 1st meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in this fiscal year (FY25) held at the NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister Major General (retd) Abdus Salam said that the Prime Minister in the meeting based on the forecast of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department and the experts concerned apprehended that a possible flood may sweep over the country in the coming days possibly in August.

In this regard, she asked all concerned to take necessary preparations to face the possible flood and its impact.

Supplementing this, Planning Division Senior Secretary Satyajit Karmakar said the Prime Minister had categorically said that there is a possibility of flooding across the country in August since there has been a growing trend of rainfall in the country alongside rising water in upstream of major rivers.

He said the premier directed all concerned including the civil administration and field administration to take necessary preparations for facing the flood and its impact in order to protect the people of the country from the impacts and devastation of flood.

The planning division senior secretary said that the day’s meeting approved a total of 11 projects involving an overall estimated cost of Taka 5,459.87 crore.

“Of the total project cost, Taka 5,214.34 crore will come from the government of Bangladesh portion, Taka 140.44 crore from project assistance while the rest of Taka 105.09 crore as concerned organization’s own fund,” he said.

Of the approved 11 projects, seven are fresh projects while four are revised ones, the senior secretary said.

State Minister for Planning Md Shahiduzzaman Sarker, Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned attended the meeting.