The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Wednesday issued a set of directives to the authorities concerned to take necessary measures to address seasonal diseases in summer and monsoon and ensure smooth services for the people during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan.
The directives came from a high-level meeting held at the PMO in the capital yesterday afternoon with Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus in the chair.
The meeting instructed the Health Services Division to take measures for preventing seasonal diseases, including dengue and chikungunya.
It also asked the Local Government Division (LGD) to take necessary initiatives for eliminating mosquitoes, including Aedes, Culex and Anaphalis, procuring repellents, deploying required manpower as well as conducing cleanliness drives and public awareness campaigns.
The Commerce and Industries Ministries have been instructed for ensuring sufficient stock and supply of essential commodities and their fair prices during the Ramadan.
The meeting directed the Cabinet Division and the district administration, Food Ministry and Bangladesh Food Safety Authority for taking steps for checking food adulteration.
The Public Security Division, Bangladesh Police and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have been asked for maintaining law and order properly and taking steps for reducing public sufferings and easing traffic jam in the cities including Dhaka and Chattogram.
The meeting advised the Power Division and the LGD to ensure uninterrupted electricity and water supply during the Ramadan, especially during Iftar, Sehri and Tarabih prayers.
The Railways Ministry has been asked for taking steps for making the train tickets available, preventing their black marketing and maintaining schedule of trains during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.
Besides, the Cabinet Division, especially the district administration, and Public Security Division, have been directed to ensure proper security and management at bus terminals, maintain discipline on the highways and easing traffic jams there.
The meeting instructed the Road Transport and Highways Division as well as the Bridges Division for increasing the number of BRTC buses, making available tickets and repairing roads and bridges ahead of the Eid.
The Shipping Ministry and Cabinet Division and the district administration have been asked to take initiatives for enhancing the number of ferries, properly managing ferry ghats, controlling quality of vessels and ensuring their risk-free movement and easing the process of ticket collection.
The meeting directed the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry to raise the number of domestic flights and control the prices of tickets during the Eid.
The Labour and Employment Ministry and Textiles and Jute Ministry have been advised to take measures for ensuring payment of salary for the readymade garment (RMG) and jute workers on time as well as phase-wise leave for the RMG workers during the Eid.
Senior officials of the PMO as well as officials and representatives of different ministries and divisions were present at the meeting.