Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Minister Prince Saching Prue, MP, has stressed the need to ensure that early warnings of disasters reach people in remote hill areas in a timely manner and in language they can easily understand.

He said the hilly regions face complex disaster risks, including heavy rainfall, flash floods and landslides. Issuing early warnings alone is not enough; authorities and relevant organisations must ensure that the information reaches vulnerable communities in time.

The minister expressed hope that Save the Children, the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and other relevant organisations would continue their development activities in the hills while maintaining environmental balance.

He made the remarks as the chief guest at the national launch of the 'SURAKKHA' project at the Eden Garden Ballroom of Hotel Amari in Gulshan, Dhaka, on Thursday.

Emphasising environmentally friendly infrastructure and afforestation in the hills, Saching Prue said development projects should take into account the experience of local communities who have lived in the region for generations, as well as the resilience of the natural environment.

He called for expanding afforestation through appropriate methods that do not harm nature. He also urged non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to step up service-oriented activities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Identifying access to safe drinking water and sustainable sanitation as two of the major basic needs in the hill region, the minister called for immediate and effective measures to provide marginalised communities with safe water and toilet facilities. He also stressed the need to implement ongoing projects quickly.

He urged all stakeholders to work together to improve people's living standards while preserving the region's ecological balance.

Highlighting the importance of protecting adolescents and young people from drugs and the misuse of social media, the minister also called for encouraging young people to move away from excessive smartphone and gaming use and return to sports and outdoor activities.

He said new playgrounds were being developed in every upazila under the directive of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, an initiative he said would address an area that had been neglected in the past.

The closing session of the event was chaired by Disaster Management Department Director (MIM) Nitai Chandra Dey. Special guests included Disaster Management Department Director General and Secretary Rezwanur Rahman, NGO Affairs Bureau Director General Dr Mohammad Zakaria, and Save the Children Bangladesh Country Director Suman Sengupta.