PMO for social resistance to contain child-lifting rumours, dengue
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Wednesday asked the authorities concerned, particularly local government ministry and city corporations, to engage local communities in forging social awareness and resistance to check child-lifting rumours and the dengue menace.
The instruction came from a coordination meeting held at the PMO as per the directive from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently monitoring the country's overall situation round the clock and giving necessary instructions from London.
Chaired by PMO Secretary Md Sajjadul Hassan, the meeting spelled out their overall preparations and measures already taken to prevent the child-lifting rumours and dengue menace, and tackle the flood situation.
PM's Speech Writer Md Nazrul Islam briefed reporters after the meeting attended by representatives from the ministries and departments concerned as well as city corporations.
The PMO asked the two Dhaka city corporation authorities to strengthen their mosquito controlling drives to check the dengue menace and form a special medical team in each city hospital to ensure smooth and proper treatment for dengue patients.
It asked all government officials to keep their respective offices clean to prevent dengue.
The PMO urged people to keep their residences and surroundings clean by removing stagnant clean water from different pots, particularly flower bases, air conditioner machines and refrigerators.
Talking about the child-lifting rumours spread by a vested group that people's heads are necessary as sacrifice for the construction of the Padma Bridge, the meeting asked law enforcement agencies to take prompt legal actions against those who are involved in circulating rumours and lynching incidents.
It put emphasis on involving local public representatives, teachers and other local dignitaries in creating social resistance against the rumours and lynching.
The PMO stressed the need for conducting campaigns through TV channels to make people aware about such rumours.
About the ongoing flood, the meeting instructed the authorities concerned to reach out relief materials, including rice, safe drinking water, dry and cooked food, to the real victims in time.
It also asked them to form medical teams in the flood-affected areas to prevent the outbreak of water-borne diseases and take preparations for the rehabilitation of the victims during the post-flood period.
Principal Coordinator on SDG Affairs at the PMO Md Abul Kalam Azad and Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Kazi M Aminul Islam, among others, spoke at the meeting.
