Staff reporter:

Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina today asked her party leaders and workers to remain prepared to tackle any situation if the ongoing flood continues. “This year’s flood may be prolonged. The 1998 deluge lasted for the longest period of 69 days, while the 1988 flooding was for two weeks,” she said. “If the current flood is prolonged like 1998, we’ll have the type of preparation needed,” Hasina said while addressing a coordination meeting of AL’s joint general secretaries and organising secretaries over mobile phone at her Dhanmondi political office this afternoon. Citing the experience of combating the 1998 flood, the premier said her government has made adequate preparations to take prompt measures to face any situation if the ongoing flood continues.