Bashundhara Group stands beside tornado survivors

Country’s leading business conglomerate Bashundhara Group has come forward to stand beside the tornado-affected destitute people of two upazilas of Brahmanbaria with a humanitarian aid of 30 tonnes of rice for them. Bashundhara Group adviser (Treasure) and publisher of the three daily newspapers of East West Media Group Limited Mainal Hossain Chowdhury handed over the rice to Nur Mohammad Majumder, district commissioner of Brahmanbaria, on Tuesday noon. Among others, district police commissioner Md Moniruzzaman, joint general secretary of district Awami League Taj Md Yasin, former president of district press club Md Arzu, present president Syed Mizanur Reza, general secretary Riaz Uddin Zami and other journalists were present on the occasion. On Friday last, some 31 people were killed and over 500 injured as a tornado hit vast areas in Sadar and Bijoynagar upazilas of the district. While receiving the donation, Nur Mohammad thanked the BG Chairman, Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, for extending his hands of help to the tornado affected people. He said, “Bashundhara Group has come forward to stand beside the people affected by the calamity. Other Organisations can also follow the example. The rice donated by Bashundhara will play an important role in ensuring foods for the affected people.” Citing that the tornado affected people are in need of shelter also, he called upon Bashundhara Group to distribute tin and cash money among them. District administration sources said a number of 1631 families were worst hit by the tornado, causing losses to the tune of causing losses to the tune of Tk 160 crore. A visit to the two upazilas Tuesday revealed that many homes were destroyed for good, forcing many affected people live under the open sky. Different charitable organisations including Army, BGB and Red Crescent are standing beside the sufferers. With their help many have started reconstructing their homes. Local people are happy that many private organisations are also standing beside the affected people besides the government. “This huge donation of rice by the Bashundhara Group will help the affected people standing on their own feet again,” they said. District Press Club president Syed Mizanur Reza said, “Bashundhara Group often extends its support to the helpless and destitute. Extending its helping hand to the tornado affected people of Brahmanbaria it is fulfilling its social responsibility.” Thanking Bashundhara Group for donating the rice, District AL leader Ms Yasin requested to distribute tin and cash money to reconstruct homes. Earlier, Bashundhara Group adviser Mainal Hossain Chowdhury visited the tornado affected upazilas and talked with affected people. He distributed cash money on behalf of the chairman of Bashundhara Group among some affected families. Receiving financial support, Shafiq of Zariltala village said, “This help of the Bashundhara Group in times of danger is very precious to us.” Mainal Hossain said, “BG chairman Ahmed Akber Sobhan was shocked to see the sufferings of the people on TVs and newspapers. He decided to stand by the tornado affected people through supplying foods on behalf of the Bashundhara Group.” “Ahmed Akber Sobhan, a son of the soil of Brahmanbaria, will extend his helping hand for people in future also,” he added.