State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Mohammad Enamur Rahman has said  that all preparations have been  completed to deal with approaching Cyclone Yaas. The field level officers of the concerned districts and Police, Ansar, BGB and CPP (Cyclone Preparedness Program) volunteers have been kept on standby for emergency response, he said on Monday. The state minister was briefing an official meeting on cyclone preparedness at the conference room of the ministry in the Secretariat. Also Read: Cyclone Yaas: Maritime ports in Bangladesh asked to hoist signal no 2 However, the minister said that the risk of Cyclone Yaas hitting the coast of Bangladesh is very low.  “We are keeping a close watch on Cyclone Yaas. Our observation will continue until it is over,” he told the meeting. He said, “If for any reason it changes direction, we will take our people to shelters. Shelters have been set up. People have also been asked to be ready.” Earlier on May 22 Dr Enamur said that Cyclone centers, three times more than required, are being set up in compliance with health guidelines keeping in mind the coronavirus situation to provide shelter to coastal people if Cyclone Yaas strikes Bangladesh. The minister said that authorities are aiming to bring all the people in need of shelter to the cyclone centers in an attempt to keep the mortality rate zero in case the cyclone hits Bangladesh. Earlier Monday,the maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra were advised to  hoist distant warning signal No 2 on Monday instead of  cautionary No 1 as the  depression over the Southeast Bay and adjoining Andaman Sea intensified into cyclonic storm ‘Yaas’. The depression over East-Central Bay and adjoining area moved north-westwards and intensified into a cyclonic storm ‘Yaas’ over the same area. In a special weather bulletin, the Met Office said at 6 am today, it was about 775 kms south-southwest of Chattogram port, 605 km south-southwest of Cox's Bazar port, 650 km south of Mongla port and 605 km south of Payra port. It is likely to intensify further and move in a north-north-westerly direction. The sea will remain very rough near the depression centre. All the fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay and deep sea have been advised to remain close to the coast and proceed with caution.  They were also advised not to venture into the deep sea.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday urged all to remain alert as cyclone ‘Yaas’ may hit Bangladesh in a couple of days. "Another cyclone is coming, it’s just forming now (in the bay)," she said. The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating as well as laying the foundation stones of 225 facilities of the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry. Read:Cyclone Yash: Thrice the usual number of shelters being prepared due to Covid The programme was held at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium and the Prime Minister joined it virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban. Of the total facilities, 110 are Multipurpose Cyclone Shelters, 30 Flood Shelters, 30 District Relief and Disaster Management Information Centers and 5 Mujib Killas. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of 50 Mujib Killas across the country. Sheikh Hasina said: "We’ve already started taking adequate precautionary measures [to face the cyclone]. Inshallah, we’ll remain cautious, we’ll be able to reduce risks." According to the meteorological office, a low-pressure area is brewing over the north Andaman Sea and the adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal, which could intensify into a cyclonic storm. The storm is then likely to move north-westwards and reach the Odisha-West Bengal-Khulna coast around May 26 (Wednesday), according to the weather department. Read:PM to inaugurate 140 cyclone and flood centres on Sunday, says minister Meanwhile, the government has prepared cyclone centres three times more than what was required in compliance with health guidelines, keeping in mind the coronavirus situation, to provide shelter to coastal people if Cyclone Yaas hits Bangladesh. The Prime Minister said Bangladesh has to face various types of natural calamities like cyclone and flood due to its geographical location. "Sometimes manmade disasters also hit Bangladesh. We’ve to move on tackling all this. We’re moving one and we’ll keep on moving.” Hasina said the government had taken numerous steps to face difficulties during every calamity and put emphasis on averting any possible loss of human lives. Regarding deaths in thunderbolt strikes, the Prime Minister said once people used to plant palm-trees near their houses and that saved human lives naturally from thunderbolts. "Once people had forgotten that. Now that sense of necessity (planting palm trees) has returned," she said, mentioning that the government has taken all-out efforts to save people from any calamity. Read: Cyclone brewing over Andaman Sea 'may hit Bangladesh coast' Talking about the future generations, she said the government has taken the Delta Plan 2100 to make Bangladesh a developed country from the developing one. A video on the contributions of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was also screened at the programme. State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Mohammad Enamur Rahman, Secretary of the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry Mohammad Mohsin also spoke at the programme.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday reaffirmed said the government will procure vaccines at any cost to protect people from coronavirus. "We’re bringing more vaccines, no matter how much money is required; we’ll bring more vaccines," she said. The Prime Minister said this while providing cash support of Tk 2,500 to each 36.5 lakh low-income families engaged in different occupations so that they can survive amid the pandemic.  She inaugurated the disbursement of the financial assistance for these marginalised families joining it from her official residence Ganobhaban virtually with deputy commissioners’ offices of Bhola, Joypurhat and Chattogram.  Each family will directly receive Tk 2,500 through G2P (Government-to-Person) as the cash will be sent through mobile financial services (MFS) -- Nagad, bKash, Rocket and SureCash as Eid gift. The Prime Minister said the government is carrying out its vaccination programme as it will provide vaccine doses to the people of this country.  Stressing that the government will put in its all-out efforts as long as it is there, Sheikh Hasina said: "We’re procuring each dose of the vaccine spending money, but providing it free so that people can stay safe." Read also: Covid 2nd wave: PM stands beside people in need Hasina urged all to follow the health guidelines strictly for securing him/herself and others from deadly Covid-19, no matter whether they have taken the vaccine shot or not. Later, the Prime Minister talked to a cross-section of people, including the beneficiaries of the cash support programme of Bhola, Joypurhat and Chattogram districts. An amount of over Tk 1,500 crore has been allocated to ease the sufferings of the marginalised people during the second wave of coronavirus. Soon after the second wave of the virus came in sight, the Prime Minister instantly directed to start the activities of humanitarian assistance.  Since April 14 last when the Covid-19 lockdown was enforced, marginalised people like temporary jobless people, destitute, day-labourers, rickshaw- and van-pullers, transport workers, transgender people and beggars living in urban and rural areas.  Read also: PM Hasina suggests 5 actions to deal with drug-resistant diseases As per the PM’s directive, the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry instantly sent Tk 590 crore to field-level administrations to provide support to the needy people and the disbursement of the money continues, officials said.  Besides, the Prime Minister allocated Tk 10.5 crore against the deputy commissioners from her relief and welfare fund to provide emergency assistance to the poor and destitute, they said.  The Prime Minister at her own initiative has provided Tk 10 crore to the Journalist Welfare Trust as assistance for the journalists who are facing hardships due to the fallout of the pandemic. The Prime Minister said those returning home from abroad must be there in quarantine as per the health guidelines in their own interest to protect their family members.   "Many people coming from abroad don’t want to stay in quarantine, even they misbehave with people (who requested them to go on quarantine)… there’s nothing to gain for them (homebound people) in spreading the virus…they’ve to remain in quarantine for some days," she said. Talking about the suspension of public transport, Hasina said the transport workers are in trouble and the government is taking steps for some stimulus and assistance for them. In this connection, she said that the coronavirus free districts can ply public transport within their peripheries, but the infected district cannot ply public transport that will go to another district. "You’ve to remain cautious in this regard," she urged people. Regarding medical services to fight the Covid-29 pandemic, she said the government is providing the necessary facilities like oxygen and ICU beds in big districts so that coronavirus infected-people can take treatment there. Read also: Covid-19: PM Hasina provides tk 10cr for journalists She also briefly described various social safety net programmes of the government to help the people of the country during the pandemic. The Prime Minister urged the affluent section of the country to come forward to standing beside the destitute. Replying to the criticisms of BNP, she said when Awami League was in the opposition it had always stood beside people as it is doing now being there in the government to help them in any calamity. "Where are they (BNP) now at this time of disaster." She mentioned that the politics of Awami League is always for the people of the country and its welfare. "We never forget it and that’s why we always think that working for people as the most important work for us…we’re working towards that and our political philosophy is to work for people.

The government has allocated 10,900 mts of rice and cash Tk 1.73 crore as  humanitarian assistance for people affected by natural disasters.

Director General (additional secretary) of the Department of Disaster Management Md Mohsin has been made secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.

The Disaster Management and Relief Ministry has got less attention in the national budget for fiscal 2020-21 with lower allocation compared to the outgoing financial year.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has distributed relief among more than half a million families during the coronavirus outbreak.

The government has evacuated about 18.61 lakh people and 3.61 livestock to 14,636 shelter centres in coastal districts until Wednesday noon as super cyclone ‘Amphan’ is likely to make landfall this (Wednesday) evening.