A total 60 rescue boats will be built to remain standby in the flood-hit areas. Those boats will be used to transport people, livestock and other necessities to the flood shelters.
Of them, 8 boats that have already been built, have received by the Disaster Management and Relief Minister Enamur Rahmanat through a function on Thursday noon.
Earlier, on July 21 last year, Dockyard and Engineering Limited, which was run under the supervision of the Navy, was given the responsibility to build the rescue boats.
The minister posted the information on his personal Facebook at around 12:30 pm on Thursday.
He wrote in his Facebook post, "Today is a memorable day for me and of joy as well.The rescue boat of Saima Wazed Putul, daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is no longer a dream but a reality. Saima Wazed Putul is a woman who not only engaged in patriotism, but also devotes herself to the welfare of the world people.”
The rescue boats will be used to evacuate people, livestock and other necessities from the flood-hit areas to flood shelters. Special arrangements have been made for the safe rescue and relocation of women, children and the disabled through these boats.
Each boat has a first aid box, a wheelchair, a stretcher, a walking frame, two separate toilets, one of which is open to all and the other has been kept reserved for senior citizens. Each boat can carry 80 passengers as well as livestock and other necessities.
He said that Saima Wazed Putul is dedicated to establishing the rights of autistic children around the world. She has given a unique direction to the design of the boats, adding all facilities for the disabled.
The minister further said that on July 21 last year, they commissioned the Navy-supervised Dockyard and Engineering Limited to build 60 rescue boats at a cost of Tk 27 crore. Eight boats have been received while the 20 boats will be provided every year. The construction cost of each boat is around Tk 45 lakh.
