{
local $/;
open SQLFILE, "< file.sql" or die "Can't open file.sql: $!";
$stmts = <SQLFILE>;
close SQLFILE;
}

##</code><code>##

my $stmts = do
   {
       local $/;
       open my $sqlFH, q{<}, q{file.sql} or die qq{open: file.sql: $!\n};
       <$sqlFH>;
   };