The government will construct disaster shelter centres in the country’s 74 upazilas of nine coastal districts, a people-centric project aiming to minimize the loss of lives and properties. Sources at the planning ministry said such project proposal was endorsed at the last meeting of Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC).
These disaster shelter centres will be constructed in the coastal region and disaster-prone areas of Chattogram and Barishal division in order to reduce the casualties of natural disasters. In Barishal division, the disaster shelter centres will be constructed in Pirojpur, Bhola and Patuakhali districts while in Cox’s Bazar, Feni, Laxmipur and Noakhali districts under Chattogram division.
In this regard, the government has taken a Multipurpose Disaster Shelter Center Project with an estimated cost of Taka 3,170.76 crore mainly to protect the people of the coastal areas from various natural disasters. Regarding this, Planning Minister MA Mannan said, "As the project is in line with the five-year plan, there is a mention about building of cyclone shelters under the rural infrastructure development program under the Seventh Five-Year Plan."
According to sources, the Local Government Department of Engineering (LGED) will implement the project at a cost of Tk 3170 crore 76 lakh. The total amount indorsed for the total project expenditure is Tk 2,935 crore. Of this, Tk 10 crore will be sanctioned from the government's own funds and Tk 3,160 crore 76 lakh will be available from the World Bank.
The project is included in the Annual Development Program (ADP) with an outlay of Taka 500 crore in the fiscal year 2019-2020. Tk 1 crore 30 lakh will come from the government's own funds and Taka 498 crore 70 lakh as project assistance. Implementing the task undertaken under the project will help achieve the goals of the 7th Five Year Plan. The objectives of the project are in line with the objectives of the 7th Five Year Plan.
In this regard, Minister of State for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Enamur Rahman said, "The government has taken all kinds of initiatives to tackle the disaster and minimize the losses in the coastal disaster-prone areas" These shelters are being constructed to save livelihoods during natural disasters, and to conduct primary education or other academic activities as well, and create short-term employment, and hold social and government programs.
To implement this decision, a project called 'Multipurpose Disaster Shelter Center-MDSP (first Amendment)' has been undertaken by the Ministry of Rural Development and Cooperatives, according to the Ministry of Planning sources. Some 556-cyclone shelters to be built under the project, would be mainly used for conducting academic activities of primary education and other academic purposes.
Under the project, there will also be vertical and horizontal expansion of some 450 cyclone shelters side by side there will be construction of some 182 kilometer access roads and construction of 656 meters of bridges and culverts. The 74 upazilas where these shelters will be built are - Barishal Sadar, Babuganj, Bakerganj, Uzirpur, Banaripara, Gournadi, Hizla, Mehendiganj and Muladi of Barishal district. Bhola Sadar, Borhanuddin, Charfation, Daulatkhan, Lalmohan, Manpura and Tajumuddin of Bhola district.
Patuakhali Sadar, Baufal, Dasmina, Dumki, Galachipa, Kalapara, Mirzaganj and Rangabali of Patuakhali district. Pirojpur Sadar, Bhandaria, Indurkani, Kaukhali, Mathbaria, Nazirpur and Nesharabad of Pirojpur district. Anwara, Banskhali, Boalkhali, Chandanish, Fatikchari, Hathazari, Karnafuli, Lohagara, Mirsarai, Patiya, Rangunia, Rausan, Sandwip, Satkania and Sitakunda of Chattrogram district and Chakria, Cox's Bazar Sadar, Kutubdia, Maheshkhali, Pekua, Ramu, Teknaf and Ukhia of Cox's Bazar.
Feni Sadar, Chhaglanaiya, Daganbhanya, Fhulgazi, Parasuram and Sonagazi of Feni district and Lakshmipur Sadar, Kamalnagar Sadar, Ramganj, Ramgati and Raipur of Lakshmipur district. Noakhali Sadar, Begamganj, Chatkhill, Companyiganj, Hatia, Kabirhat, Senbagh, Sonimuri and Subarnchar of Noakhali district.
