PM stays awake as cyclone ‘Bulbul’ sweeps: Minister

Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina passed a sleepless night on Saturday observing cyclonic storm ‘Bulbul’ which lashed the country’s coastal districts early Sunday, said Information Minister Hasan Mahmud, reports UNB.

“The PM gave necessary directives to take preparations to face cyclone Bulbul and the post-cyclone situation. She spent a sleepless night,” he said while speaking at a meeting arranged at Awami League’s Dhaka South office on the Bangabandhu Avenue marking ‘Shaheed Noor Hossain Day’ on Sunday.

Criticising BNP for its allegation that the government did not take necessary steps to tackle the cyclone, the minister said the massive preparations taken by the administration saved the lives of people and minimised the extent of damages.

He said millions of people lost their lives while there had been colossal damages to property in the 1991 cyclone during the BNP tenure. “Even over 35 fighter aircraft of Bangladesh Air Force suffered damages due to the mismanagement. The aircraft were washed away into the road from the airport.”

Hasan Mahmud also alleged then PM Khaleda Zia was busy changing her saris as then Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif was visiting Bangladesh. “She (Khaleda) changed seven saris in just one single day.”

Five people were killed in Bagerhat, Khulna and Patuakhali districts as cyclone ‘Bulbul’ made a landfall in Khulna and adjoining southwestern part of the country early Sunday before weakening into a deep depression.