Satkhira, July 23 (bdnews24.com) – The trial of war crimes will begin soon, prime minister Sheikh Hasina said on Friday after opening a programme to distribute housing allowances among the Aila-affected people of Shyamnagar in Satkhira in the morning.
"The war crime tribunal has already been formed and other preparations are underway," she told a gathering there.
Addressing the local people, she said that her government would always stand beside coastal people who suffer natural disasters. In addition, she promised to ensure food safety for the affected.
Hasina then distributed Tk 20,000 to 20 Aila-affected families each.
The cyclone had hit 16 coastal districts on May 25, 2009, killing around 190 people and causing huge devastation in the whole area. More than one lakh people were left homeless.
The prime minister said coast guards, navy and army personnel as well as public representatives have been engaged in rendering service to the affected.
She mentioned that the government had provided the affected with 6,000 tonnes of food-grains, necessary healthcare and other services.
"We've decided to spend Tk 96 crore (960 million) for 48,000 affected families."
Hasina said that any youth living in the Aila-hit area might do business by borrowing money from banks.
She added her government is pledge-bound to ensure food safety and accommodation for all Aila-hit people.
The prime minister mentioned that they had already initiated to build cyclone centres and houses for them.
She announced that all Aila-affected embankments will be reconstructed. The embankments will also be made green by planting trees there, she added.
Hasina called on shrimp farmers to cultivate shrimps by digging drains in a planned way instead of draining in water by cutting embankments.
She pointed out that her government had facilitated opening of farmers' bank accounts with an initial deposit of only Tk 10 to ensure that they get subsidy for fertilisers, seeds, and other agriculture inputs without any hassle.
Expressing gratitude to the people for voting the grand alliance to power, the prime minister said her government would try to do the best in return.
She announced that all Upazila hospitals, including that of Shyamnagar, would be upgraded to 50-bed ones.
Hasina promised to upgrade Bhomra to a full-fledged land port, set up tourism centre at the Sundarbans, a medical college and a technical training centre in Satkhira.
She said a rail line would be installed from the Sundarbans to Navaron.
The prime minister said free education would be introduced up to degree level and mentioned that books had already been distributed among students of primary and secondary school students for free.
She announced that Shyamnagar Mohsin Degree College would be nationalised and numbers of coast and forest guards increased in the area.
She said: "Being a poor I've nothing but love that I have given you."
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