Advisor Nahid in front BIWTA office, asks to send speedboat, trawlers soon

Posts, information and broadcasting affairs adviser of the interim government Md. Nahid Islam has urged the people from their respective capacities to face the worsening flood situation in the country.

He made the call in front of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) office in the capital’s Motijheel area Thursday morning.

Students laid siege to the BIWTA office in the morning to press home their demand to send rescue boats to the flood affected areas quickly. Nahid Islam was also there.

Posts, information and broadcasting ministry public relations officer Muhammad Jasim Uddin said advisor Nahid went to the BIWTA office this morning.

A video clip taken from the spot shows Nahid Islam accompanying the students talking to an official. He said, “Please ask everyone to come fast, the decision makers. Steps should have already been taken. Please call all the government and private organisations and take the required steps including sending the boats, speedboats and trawlers.”

Mentioning that that order has been issued directly from the chief adviser, he enquired about the time of opening the control room.

Nahid asked the officials to open the control room in an hour otherwise he wouldn’t budge from the spot.

After the phone conversation, he asked the students to collect relief materials in the universities in a coordinated way for the flood-hit people. “The government will also begin distribution of relief.”

Asking all the organisations to start work speedily, he said, “Work in a way so that students do not need to issue directives and lay siege to any office this way.”

“You all know, this opening of sluice gates, this catastrophe has been brought in Bangladesh from a political standpoint, this politics has to be faced. Sluice gates were opened without any discussion with Bangladesh. The neighbouring state has taken a position against the people of Bangladesh. We condemn and protest this incident,” said Nahid Islam.

He further stated that the people of Bangladesh will retort if any country takes a position against the people of Bangladesh.