Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Minister Md Tajul Islam has directed the local authorities in Sylhet for cutting up roads if necessary to make way for floodwater to subside.

He has also directed the Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) to supply electricity to MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital through generators as floodwater has snapped electricity supply to the hospital.

Tajul provided these directives during a press briefing on the flood situation in Sylhet at his Minto Road residence in Dhaka today afternoon.

According to the Minister, the Local Government Engineering Division (LGED) and the Sylhet City Corporation have been directed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to cut up any roads immediately due to which floodwater can’t retreat at this moment.

“Officials of LGED and SCC are monitoring the flood situation in Sylhet closely. Separate control rooms have been opened at the Local Government Division and the Public Health Engineering Directorate under this Division in this regard,” said Tajul.

Admitting that the flood situation in Sylhet-Sunamganj region has reached dangerous levels, Tajul also said that his ministry’s primary concern at this moment is to bring the flood-affected people from their homes to safe shelters and provide dried food, safe drinking water and water-purifying tablets to these people.

Read: Sylhet: A city tries to cope with its worst flood in living memory

“Public representatives, government officials, Army and Navy officials and volunteers are trying their best to help the flood-affected people. The government is also working to lessen the plight of these people through coordinating the works of the LGED Ministry, the Health Ministry, the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry and the Shipping Ministry,” added Tajul.

Replying to a question, the Minister said that the government has been able to take prompt steps due to its advance preparedness.

“The government will allocate necessary resources for any damages of the communication systems in Sylhet region due to the flood,” Tajul mentioned.

The Minister also praised the journalists, saying that it is due to the media personnel that the government gets to know about any emergency situations in due time.