Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said that her party Awami League was always sincerely dedicated to the development of Bangladesh and its people.

‘We are beside you (countrymen), (we) will remain there and will provide all kinds of assistance what are needed,’ she said.

The PM said these while addressing a relief distribution programme at Government Mojahar Uddin Biswas Degree College at Kolapara in Patuakhali organised by the district administration.

Mentioning that the overall development of this southern region was only possible as AL is in power, she said, ‘There were many people came to the power, but they didn’t do any development activities for this region.’

She added that protecting living standard of the people was the main target of her government.

Sheikh Hasina said, ‘Natural calamities will come. Our target is to maintain living standard of the people facing those (disasters), and we are working for that.’

This time the tidal waves were much higher comparing to the previous cyclones, she said.

The OM thanked the people for taking shelter in the cyclone centres built by the government.

She said that the AL government was doing whatever needed for ensuring basic needs of the people.

Her government has been able to stand beside the people during such natural calamities as the country is witnessing continued democracy, she said.

‘The socioeconomic development is taking place in the country as continued democracy is prevailing here,’ she added.

Presided over by Kolapara Awami League vice president Nirmal Nandi, state minister for disaster management and relief, Md Mohibbur Rahman, Awami League joint secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim and organising secretary Afzal Hossain also spoke.

Earlier, the prime minister distributed relief materials among the cyclone Remal-affected people of this area.

Sheikh Hasina also undertook an aerial visit to Mathbaria and Pathorghata areas of Patuakhali district to see herself the trail of havoc caused by the recent Cyclone Remal.

She witnessed the super storm Remal-affected two areas from the helicopter that was hovering just over the ground at a slow speed on her way to Patuakhali from Dhaka.

The helicopter carrying with the prime minister landed at the helipad adjoining to Khepupara Govt Model Secondary School at Kalapara of Patuakhali district at 12:20pm today after around one and a half hour flying from Dhaka.

She also visited the Shaheed Sheikh Kamal Bridge on Patuakhali-Kuakata road.

The PM later exchanged views with the divisional level officials as well.

The Patuakhali district administration and the ruling Awami League had taken all-out preparations over the premier’s visit to Patuakhali.

Severe cyclone Remal reportedly killed at least 13 people, destroyed over 35,000 homes, and seriously affected more than 37 lakh people in 19 districts of the country.

The storm made landfall near Khepupara of Patuakhali with the wind speed of up to 130kmph on Sunday evening.

As many as 327,000 people have so far been affected while some 235 houses were completely and 1,865 others were partially destroyed in Patuakhali district, sources said.

The agricultural sector suffered losses of over Tk 260 million, while the fishery sector’s losses are estimated to be over Tk 280 million, they said.