Published : Tuesday, 28 April, 2015, Time : 12:00 AM, View Count : 36
Staff Correspondent Four airports in Bangladesh would remain open for foreign countries and agencies for airlifting relief materials to Nepal. They would be allowed to land their aircrafts on the airports for sending their relief materials in the devastating earthquake affected Nepal. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday instructed the Ministries and authorities concerned to take necessary steps in this connection during the regular meeting of the Cabinet held on Monday at the Secretariat with the Prime Minister in the chair. Ministries of Civil Aviation and Tourism (MoCAT) and Home are very much concerned to handle the airports smoothly and ensure its security. After the meeting, Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman told reporters, "Foreign countries and agencies can use the airports if they need to send relief materials to Nepal. The Prime Minister has given consent to allow them to use the airports on humanity grounds." At least 3,618 people are now known to have died in the massive earthquake which hit Nepal on April 25. Rameshwor Dangal, head of Nepal's disaster management agency, said another 6,500 people had been injured. A good number of Nepalese are still missing. Mostafizur said the Civil Aviation Minister raised the issue before the Prime Minister that the main airport of Nepal has become unusable after the tremor. As a result the interested countries and agencies are facing trouble to send their aides to the country. They may want to use Bangladeshi airports. The Prime Minister immediately asked the Minister's concerned to allow the interested countries and agencies to use Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and Kurmitola Airport in Dhaka, Syedpur Airport in Nilphamary and Lalmonirhat Airport for the humanitarian work. Bangladesh also sent six medical teams and necessary relief materials to help the friendly people affected in the devastating earthquake in the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal. At the same time, Bangladesh decided to send assistance worth Taka 159 crore to Nepal to help the tremor affected people.
