The 2024 flood was not a typical seasonal deluge, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus remarked on Wednesday, describing it as a crisis of unexpected scale and severity that began almost immediately after his administration assumed responsibility.
“When we took over, the flood began almost at once,” Yunus said.
“It was unlike previous floods—striking entirely different areas, and we had no idea how deeply it would affect people. We initially assumed it might pass quickly, but it worsened by the day.”
He made these comments during a virtual ceremony held at the Chief Adviser’s Office in Tejgaon, Dhaka, where keys to new homes were handed over to flood-affected families from Chattogram, Feni, Noakhali and Cumilla.
Reflecting on the government’s early response, Yunus said the extent of the disaster only became clear after the waters had receded. “Everyone was scrambling with relief efforts. The country leapt into action. But the real magnitude of the flood became evident much later,” he said.
Many of those displaced had no shelter to return to, prompting a flurry of proposals—including distributing cash to rebuild homes. But Yunus held firm against that approach. “I took a strong position on not handing out money directly,” he said. “Funds get divided, misused, and rarely reach those who truly need them.”
An alternative solution emerged via the Ashrayan housing project—an initiative Yunus admitted he knew little about initially, aside from its name. “Then I learnt the army would implement it. That reassured me—the funds would be used properly.”
The chief adviser expressed satisfaction over both the quality and efficiency of the housing initiative. “What pleases me most is that the money was used wisely. The homes were well-built. Often, money gets spent, but quality is poor. This time, even the quality gives us confidence.”
In a surprising turn, he noted that only half the allocated funds were used to complete the work. “This is rare—usually it’s the other way around, with demands for twice the amount. Here, they’ve done it for half. That’s truly good news.”
