Bangladesh provides Tk 68.5m for Cyclone Remal victims

A total of 1,471 medical teams are ready to provide care to those affected, says the state minister for disaster management and relief

The government has released Tk 68.5 million to help communities recover from the impact of Cyclone Remal which crossed the Bangladesh coast, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

The assistance includes Tk 38.5 million in cash across 15 districts, along with 5,500 tonnes of rice, 5,000 packets of dry food, Tk 15 million worth of baby food, and another Tk 15 million for cattle fodder, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Mohibbur Rahman said at a press conference at the Secretariat in Dhaka on Monday.

He emphasised the comprehensive nature of disaster management, highlighting the coordinated efforts involving different groups.

He said with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's leadership, a collective effort involving military and civilian authorities, public representatives, political figures, law-enforcing agencies, ministries, local administrations, and organisations such as the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and Fire Service and Civil Defence, alongside media, was instrumental in effectively managing this crisis.

He also said 1,471 medical teams were ready to provide care to those affected, with 1,400 teams currently active.

Severe Cyclone Remal made landfall between Khepupara and West Bengal’s Sagar Island on Monday night. The storm weakened after it crossed onto the land, eventually becoming a depression.

At least 10 people, including two women, have lost their lives in different Upazilas, according to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.

The ministry cited uprooting of trees, drowning, and collapse of walls as the reasons behind nine deaths. Another person died of illness while heading to a cyclone centre.