Netrakona: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday announced halving the interest rate for fresh agricultural loan for flood affected haor farmers.

Addressing a public meeting here today the Prime Minister reiterated her government’s decision for suspension of the pay-back of the current agri loan until next crop.

‘In addition the affected farmers would get fresh agricultural loan at 4.5 per cent interest rate to restart farming,’ she said adding that the government would also provide support for diversification of their occupation.

Assuring the people of the flood-affected areas of taking all necessary measures for their protection, the Prime Minister said none will face the lack of food and shelter, as VGF activities would continue in the haor areas apart from OMS programme.

‘Now we have sufficient stock of food and if necessary we will import more food from abroad,’ she said adding that the government has taken arrangement to reach VGF rice to union level at the government cost.

The Prime Minister arrived here this morning by helicopter to see for herself the situation of the flood-affected haor areas of the district.

She distributed relief goods among the flood-stricken farmers and other distressed people before addressing the public meeting at Khaliajuri Degree College ground. She will later visit flash flood-hit haor areas of the upazila.

Flash floods, triggered by torrential rain in the middle of the last month, caused inundating vast swathes of the northeastern region and damaged Boro paddy, putting the livelihoods of thousands of farmers at risk. According to the official estimate a total of 86 unions of 10 upazilas were affected and crops of 28,425 hectors of land were fully damaged, affecting more than 1.65 lakh farmers in Netrakona district.

Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Food Minister Quamrul Islam and local parliament member Rebeka Momin addressed the meeting among others while Awami League Joint Secretary Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif and Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports Arif Khan Joy were present.