State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Mohibur Rahman on Saturday said that the government is making a list of the people who died of heatstroke this year to provide them with financial aid.
Mohib also revealed the governments plans to increase the amount of financial aid to the family members of the dead and injured people since it is not enough now.
Those who have become unemployed due to extreme heat are being brought under the social safety net, the State Minister said.
Mohib said this while addressing a debate competition as chief guest at FDC in the city, organised by Debate for Democracy.
He said, "There is no plan to appoint heat officers from the Ministry. In severe heat, the initiative to sprinkle water in Dhaka North City Corporation was incomplete. It is not enough to spray water by a water cannon, it has to be done in a more scientific way."
"Use of unnecessary glass without complying with building codes is one of the causes of overheating in buildings. Many educated people are also making houses as per their wishes violating the law; hence they themselves are turning their own houses into death traps. Therefore, stricter laws should be made if necessary to force them to comply with the law," Mohib said.
Debate for Democracy Chairman Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiran presided over the event.
Kiran said that the government does not have any accurate account of people who died of heat stroke this year.
There is also no information about their financial support. In the current situation, at least Tk 3 lakh should be paid to the families of helpless people who die in disaster.
Kiran slammed the roles of citys Heat Officer Bushra Afreen as her initiatives yielded no results.
Debaters of Dhaka College defeated the debaters of Govt Titumir College in the competition titled, "Unplanned Urbanization is Responsible for the Increase in Unbearable Temperature".