The Economic Relations Division (ERD) in a rejoinder Wednesday said the news item published in the Financial Express July 26, 2008 under the headline 'Foreign aid down in FY'08' contained inconsistent and factually incorrect information regarding foreign aid flows into Bangladesh in FY 2007-08.
The report stated that foreign aid disbursement in FY 2007-08 from different partners was to the figure of US$ 1127 million. However, the ERD officially recorded foreign aid disbursements amounting to US$ 2043.54 million till now (the total disbursement in FY 200-08 could further increase after compilation of figures for all the development partners), the ERD said in its rejoinder signed by deputy secretary Mahmuda Begum.
It may be noted that thanks to various measures undertaken by the government, the disbursement in FY 2007-08 is 25 per cent higher than the disbursement in FY 2006-07 (US $ 1630.58 million) and is the highest since independence.
It can also be mentioned that the firm commitments of assistance in FY 2007-08 (US$ 2735.09 million) is also the highest since independence and is 21.4 per cent higher than that of FY 2006-07 (US $ 2256.13 million), the ERD said.
The report also mentioned that IDA, ADB, USA, Canada, UN and Australia have disbursed US$ 407.17 million, US$ 320.00 million, US$7.53 million, US$7.57 million, US$19.44 million and US$ 13.90 million respectively in FY2007-08.
But the ERD record shows that in the corresponding period disbursement made by IDA, ADB, USA, Canada, UN and Australia amounting to US$ 748.64 million, US$ 443.54 million, US$7.53 million, US$ 27.57 million, US$ 122.78 million and US$ 13.90 million respectively. Moreover, IDB, Sweden and Norway have disbursed US$ 3.88 million, US$ 19.23 million and US$ 2.32 million respectively for the same fiscal year while nil disbursements were shown against these development partners in the report.
ERD rejoinder
FE Team | Published: July 31, 2008 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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