RAJSHAHI, June 2, 2020 (BSS) – Around 17.84 lakh jobless and other distressed households comprising over 1.20 crore people have, so far, received foodstuffs and cash aid to mitigate their livelihood related hardships induced by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Rajshahi division.
As part of its instant humanitarian support to cope with the present troubled situation, the government has disbursed 21,168 tonnes of rice and over Taka 12.56 crore in cash among the families in need till this morning.
Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner Humayun Kabir Khandaker said each of 17,83,560 families received 10 kilograms of rice while another 8,85,388 families got Taka 1,000 in cash for baby food and other emergency expenses amid the pandemic in all eight districts in the division.
A total of 1,764 tonnes of rice and over Taka 1.60 crore in cash are in the stock at present for distribution in line with the present uninterrupted efforts to reach with the relief assistance among the affected people amid the present pandemic.
Meanwhile, 4,758.97 tonnes of rice and 12,290.47 tonnes of flour have been distributed at Taka 10 and Taka 18 per kilogram respectively among the families in need under the government’s open market sale (OMS) programme in the division till Monday last, said Raihanul Kabir, regional controller of food.
Besides, 1,38,638.47 tonnes of rice was distributed among 7,73,026 enlisted poor and extreme poor households under the government’s “Food Friendly Programme” till the same day.
Another 4,500 tonnes of rice is also being distributed among the needy families under the Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) programme, Raihanul Kabir said, adding that each of 1.5 lakh beneficiary families is getting 30 kilograms of rice every month free of cost continuously.
Rajshahi City Corporation has, so far, disbursed 378 tonnes of rice, five tonnes of flour, 64 tonnes of pulse, 67 tonnes of potato, 2,000 packets of baby food, 350 tonnes of seasonal vegetables and 3,950 packets of cooked foods benefiting around 1.40 lakh jobless and distressed families in the city.
Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton said 21,086 members of 80 professional bodies were given 1,17,280 kilograms of rice as part of the government’s instant humanitarian support to relieve the livelihood related hardship.
Another 7,400 households were given foodstuffs as the gift of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to lessen their livelihood related hardship.
Various other government and non-government entities are distributing foodstuffs among the needy families to cope with the troubled situation.
On the other hand, 71,578 personal protective equipment (PPE) have so far been distributed among the frontline healthcare workforces to handle the COVID-19 pandemic through protecting themselves from the virus infection. There are 42,913 more PPE in stock for distribution.
A total of 935 doctors and 1,669 nurses are working in 190 public and private hospitals in the division. Around 1,914 beds, out of the total 4,899, have already been prepared for treatment of the possible COVID-19 infected patients.
There are arrangements of 462 beds in isolation units here and 19 ambulances for emergency transportation and treatment of the infected patients.