DHAKA: A non-government platform on Tuesday said the people of country’s coastal belt have been living in intolerable situation for the last 20 months after Sidr and 14 months after Aila.

They recommended that the government declare the area as ‘disaster prone Zone’ and stop corruption and irregularities by the Water Development Board.

Nagorik Sanghati, a non-government platform, came up with the recommendations at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU).
   
General Secretary of the platform Sharifuzzaman Sharif said they will hand over a 10-point recommendation to the Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina during her Khulna visit on Wednesday for the betterment of Aila affected people.

He recommended that an inter-ministerial committee comprising ministries of Water Resources, Agriculture, Forest and Environment, Food and Disaster Management and LGRD should be formed to help the people of the coastal belt in order to end their miseries.

Professor Atiqur Rahman of Social Welfare and Research Institute of Dhaka University and a leader of the platform hoped that people of southern areas would be benefited from the visit of the Prime Minister if necessary measures are taken as per recommendations.

BDST: 1950 HRS, JULY 20, 2010