Bangladesh's State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Enamur Rahman on Sunday (May 14, 2023) said there is no possibility of tidal surge due to cyclone Mocha. “Low tide started in the morning and Mocha is now progressing with 65 km wind speed and maximum wind speed near the cyclone centre is about 220 km. So there is no possibility of tidal surge,” he said while talking to reporters at the secretariat. The authorities concerned have taken sufficient preparation this time, Enamur said adding that already seven lakh people have taken shelter in the cyclone shelters. Also read: Cyclone Mocha starts crossing Cox’s Bazar with speed of up to 215 kmph: BMD The government has taken all necessary measures at the cyclone shelters and already dry foods, pure drinking water, water purification tablets and cash money have been sent to the shelter homes while the beach area vacated after the announcement of great danger signal, he added. Despite the announcement of great danger signal 10 in Cox’s Bazar, many people were seen taking selfie, said the minister. “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked me over phone to take step to control people on the beach,” he said. Replying to a question about the presence of curious people on the beach, the minister said the law enforcement agencies drove them out and all tourist activities were suspended. Read More: Cyclone Preparedness: Safety measures to follow before, during, and after the disaster

Around 10,000 houses in 419 unions in Bangladesh were damaged by Cyclone Sitrang that hit the coastal districts Monday (Octover 25, 2022) night, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Enamur Rahman said today. Sitrang did not turn into a severe cyclone and crossed the coastal areas quickly, the state minister said while talking to reporters at the Secretariat regarding the aftermath of the cyclone. Read: Sitrang aftermath: Some areas in southern districts still without power “We have been able to provide shelter to 10 lakh people at 6,925 cyclone shelters. Cyclone Sitrang weakened quickly after hitting the coastal districts at 10 pm last night,” said Enamur. People have already left the shelters, he added. The state minister also said nine deaths have so far been reported after Cyclone Sitrang hit the country. Read: Cyclone Sitrang kills at least 16 across Bangladesh Cyclone Sitrang completed its landfall and weakened to a tropical depression over Bangladesh early Tuesday, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department.

The recent devastating floods ravaging the country’s north and northeastern regions caused damages worth over Tk 86811.65 crore, said State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Md. Enamur Rahman on Monday. The flooding was triggered by torrential rains from second week of May in the north and eastern region, said the minister. Heavy rainfall in the bordering Indian states of Meghalaya and Assam and onrush of uphill waters aggravated the flood situation, he added. Enamur was talking to reporters following a meeting of an inter-ministerial disaster management coordination committee’  at the Secretariat. Also read: Govt to build 1,000 flood shelters: Enamur “The water level of Surma was flowing above its danger mark from May 13 due to the torrential rains and onrush of hilly water from the upstream, causing flood in Sylhet, Sunamganj and other adjacent areas which spread to 18 districts of the country,” he said. The damages include crops worth over Tk 1258,53 crore (full)  and of Tk 55957.21 crore (partial), he said. Besides, houses worth Tk 368.84 crore have been damaged fully while partially damaged houses worth over Tk 1355.03 crore, he added. The damages to bridges, culverts, paved and dirt roads, schools, colleges and madrashas, mosques, temples and embankments have been estimated at Tk 86811.65 crore, said the minister. Also read: ADB to help govt recover losses from flood The government has allocated 7.20 thousand metric tonnes of rice, Tk 09.44 crore in cash, 1.40 lakh for dry foods, Tk 40 lakh for baby food, Tk 40 lakh for fodder,  Tk 2.61 crore for houses and 8,7000 bundles of corrugated iron-sheets for building houses from April 1 to July 21, he said. The death toll from the  floods in the country rose to 129 in the past 24 hours till Monday morning.

No visible progress  has been seen in the repatriation of displaced Rohingyas to their homeland Myanmar, said State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Enamur Rahman on Tuesday. “We sat in a meeting last month and a list of Rohingyas was provided to Myanmar. Myanmar authorities received the list. So far, we have provided lists of 35,000 Rohingyas but they are yet to inform us about how many people they will receive,” he said. Also read: US may influence ASEAN to persuade Myanmar to stop atrocities, take Rohingyas back: Momen Enamur came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after a meeting with Nicholas Koumjian, the Head of Independent Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar (IIMM) at the Secretariat. IIMM chief came here to investigate the torture on Rohingyas by Myanmar security forces before they fled to Bangladesh and he also sought assistance of Refugee Relief & Repatriation Commissioner in Cox's Bazar to collect statements from victim Rohingyas, he said. “We also assured him of providing all necessary support,” he added. However, Nicholas also said that they will work to gain international support to send back Rohingyas to their home land with rights and safety. Also read: Bangladesh considers continuation of learning of Rohingyas under Myanmar curriculum Referring to another meeting with a delegation of USAID, Enamur said the delegation expressed satisfaction over the management of Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar. Enamur also requested the USAID delegation to take effective steps so that the other UN organizations like UNHCR and WFP start their activities for Rohingyas in Bhasanchar.

There is no possibility of Cyclone Asani, lying over the Bay of Bengal, hitting Bangladesh, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Md Enamur Rahman on Sunday. It may move towards Bangladesh after it makes landfall along the Indian coast on May 12, he said in response to a question from reporters at his office in the Secretariat. Also read:Cyclonic storm ‘Asani’ moved northwestwards He said the cyclone is moving northwestwards. It will weaken while passing through Odisha, Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar and West Bengal in India. “So far, no possibility of the cyclone hitting Bangladesh has been found.” Due to the cyclone, there may be storms and rains in Bangladesh but there will be no cyclone or tidal wave, he added. “This is the latest information we have.” The state minister further said the cyclone currently lies in the Bay 1175 km from Chittagong port and 1250 km from Cox's Bazar. The speed of the cyclone is 55 kilometers per hour. Asani, which formed in the Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean on May 4, has gradually crossed the four levels of lows and turned into a cyclone at 6 am on Sunday, he informed. Asked which part of Bangladesh may be hit if the direction of the cyclone changes, he said the direction of the cyclone changes all the time. It can take any turn at any time. “If the cyclone moves northwards, it may hit Satkhira, Khulna, Barishal and Patuakhali districts of our country.” "We had a meeting last Thursday. There we have instructed our Ministry, Department, Fire Service, Meteorological Office, Cyclone Preparedness Program (CPP) and all,” he said. Also read: Deep depression in Bay intensifies into cyclonic storm ‘Asani’ At the same time, the deputy commissioners of the coastal districts and the district disaster management committee have been warned about the cyclone. "We have also instructed the cyclone shelters to be prepared," he said. “We have paid for the rice and for cooking there. Cyclone shelters are instructed to maintain safe distances in compliance with health protocols,” the state minister said.

The government is trying to implement mega projects in the Teesta to permanently prevent the erosion of the Teesta River and prevent floods, said State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Enamur Rahman. The minister also said the design and project profile has been completed. The state minister made the remarks while inspecting the flood-affected areas of Teesta river at Gatiyasham area of Rajarhat in Kurigram on Friday morning. The state minister said, "It is uncertain when it will be completed. However, if the project is completed, the people of Teesta will not have any more misery." He added that heavy rains and onrushing waters have caused flash floods in four districts including Kurigram. The government is working to alleviate the plight of those affected by the floods and erosion. Each of the four districts has been allotted 50 MT of rice, Tk 5 lakh, 4,000 packets of dry food, Tk 2 lakh more for cattle food and 100 bundles of corrugated iron sheets. Arrangements will be made for the rehabilitation of each family affected by floods and river erosion, he said. At least 1017 families in three unions of Rajarhat were affected by Teesta erosion. Later, relief materials including 10 kg of rice, 1 kg of chira and half a kg of pulses and oil were distributed among the affected families at Sarishabari Government Primary School ground. Kurigram-2 MP Panir Uddin Ahmed, Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Md Mohsin, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Rezaul Karim, Superintendent of Police Syeda Jannat Ara and District Council Chairman Zafar Ali were present at the event among others.

The government will provide houses and two-decimal land to 9,445 families affected by river erosion, Ashrayan-style in the country, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Enamur Rahman disclosed Tuesday. "There was massive river erosion this year, though the country didn't witness severe flooding. A total of 9,445 families were affected by the river erosion this year. We sent a list of the victims to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. They all will get houses with two-decimal lands," he said at a press briefing. Read: Hasina inaugurates home distribution under Ashrayan-2 Project

Some 2,800 people were killed in lightning strikes in open fields and haors across the country from 2011 to 2021, said State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Enamur Rahman. Of them, 179 people were killed in 2011, 201 in 2012, 185 in 2013, 170 in 2014, 226 in 2015, 391 in 2016, 307 in 2017, 359 in 2018, 198 in 2019, 255 in 2020 and 329 in 2021, he said. The government has planned to establish shelter centres in lightning-prone areas of the country, said Enamur while speaking at a press briefing at the secretariat ahead of International Day of Disaster Risks Reduction. Read: Lightning kills 2 in Bandarban “The government has decided to build a concrete house on one decimal of land with one lightning arrester in each house so that people can take shelter there within 20-25 minutes after hearing the warning of lightning,” he said. People will stay there until the lightning strikes, Enamur added.

People of 27 upazilas across nine coastal districts of Bangladesh were hit by a three to six feet storm surge caused by Cyclone Yaas Wednesday. State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Md Enamur Rahman said this at a media briefing in Dhaka. Yaas moved inland into India's Odisha from the Bay of Bengal in the morning, but Bangladesh remained largely unscathed. However, people in districts such as Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Noakhali and Laxmipur have been affected by the high tide, Enamur said. At least two deaths were reported in Bangladesh and thousands of people in 200 villages were marooned as their homes, shops and farms were flooded by tidal surges. The "very severe cyclonic storm" packed sustained winds of 130-140 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 155 kph when it made landfall, the India Meteorological Department said. Also read: Cyclone Yaas: 2 deaths reported in Bangladesh, 5 in India The affected upazilas include Shyamnagar, Asashuni, Koyra, Dakop, Paikgachha, Sharankhola, Mongla, Morelganj, Mathbaria, Barguna Sadar, Patharghata, Amtali, Patuakhali Sadar, Galachipa, Rangabali, Dashmina, Mirzaganj, Kolapara, Charfashion, Monpura, Tajumuddin, Dawlatkhan, Borhanuddin, Bhola Sadar, Hatia, Ramgati and Kamalnagar, Enamur informed. The government rushed 16,500 packets of dry food to the affected residents of these areas, he said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate virtually 140 cyclone and flood shelters besides laying foundation of 50 Mujib Killas across the country on Sunday, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Mohammad Enamur Rahman has said. Also on Sunday 30 district relief and disaster management information centres and five Mujib Killas will also be inaugurated by the prime minister, Dr. Enamur told a press briefing on Saturday. Besides, construction, renovation, and development activities of 550 Mujib Killas’ are underway in 148 coastal and flood-hit Upazilas, according to the minister. Also read: Take up fish farming as livelihood, Prime Minister tells youths