FT ONLINE

The country has lost over Tk 263 crore in the agriculture sector due to Cyclone Bulbul, Agriculture Minister Dr. Abdur Razzak said this morning.

A total of 50,503 farmers have been affected in 103 Upazilas of 16 southern districts in the cyclone, the minister said at a briefing at the Secretariat in Dhaka.

A rehabilitation programme for the farmers will be undertaken after the finance ministry releases the fund in this regard, the minister said.

The affected districts are Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Narail, Barishal, Bhola, Patuakhali, Barguna, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Madaripur, Gopalganj, Sariatpur, Noakhali, Feni and Laxmipur, he mentioned.

At least 26 people were killed in nine southern districts as Cyclone Bulbul ravaged through those in the past two days.

Most of the victims were killed when trees fell on them. Some of the deaths were also attributed to drowning and collapsed homes, according to officials from the local administrations, police and health facilities.

Meanwhile, the coast guard, with the help of police and locals, yesterday recovered the bodies of nine fishermen from the Meghna river in Barishal.