Interest on agri-loan halved for affected haor farmers: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said the interest in agricultural loans from the flash flood affected haor farmers has been halved and the collection of the interest also been stalled.

Not only is the government providing relief to the flood affected people, they will also give out seeds and fertiliser, for the next harvest, to the farmers free of cost, the PM said while addressing a public gathering at a school filed during her visit to the haor area.

Steps will be taken against people who were negligent during building of haor embankment, she said.

The premier is visiting the Sunamganj haor belt today after early flash floods submerged Boro crops on over two lakh hectares of land, and caused subsequent loss of livelihood, fish and livestock.

The premier reached the field of Shaheed Ali Model High School at Shalla upazila of the district through a helicopter around 10:00am, our Moulvibazar correspondent reports quoting Kamruzzaman, additional deputy commissioner of Sunamganj.

She will first visit the flood-affected haor areas, then distribute relief goods among the affected farmers, Deputy Commissioner Sheikh Rafiqul Islam told the correspondent.

The premier will sit with the local government representatives for a view-exchange meeting around 11:00am, She will leave for Dhaka at 12:30pm, Sheikh Rafiqul Islam added.

Centering the premier’s visit, a five-layer security measure has been taken, Superintendent of Sunamganj Police Barkat Ullah Khan said.

BSS adds: Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, Food Minister Advocate Quamrul Islam, Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud, State Minister for Finance MA Mannan, State Minister for Water Resources Nazrul Islam are accompanying the prime minister.

Earlier, farmers and public representatives have reiterated their demand for declaring Sunamganj haor belt a disaster zone prior to the PM's visit.

According to the government's primary estimation, more than 8 lakh people in the haor belt have been affected as 6.5 lakh tonnes of Boro crop went under water due to flash floods in March end, at least 15-20 days ahead of the usual time.

Haor Advocacy Platform, a rights organisation, in a bulletin on Thursday said the devastating flash floods damaged Tk 5,081 crore worth of rice, fish and fodder in seven northeastern haor districts.

Sunamganj is the worst hit. The other affected districts are Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Netrakona, Kishoreganj and Brahmanbaria.

Source: thedailystar