Govt seeks $2.21b aid for post-Sidr rehabilitation

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FE Report
The government sought Wednesday US$2.21 billion worth of assistance from international donors to finance post-cyclone rehabilitation schemes and sustainable disaster protection programme in the affected coastal areas.
The appeal for aid was made at a meeting of the local consultative group (LCG), a representing the bilateral and multilateral donors working in Bangladesh.
The government requested the development partners to provide $400 million as budgetary support, $457.76 million for immediate rehabilitation of the Sidr-affected areas and $1351.09 million for sustainable protection against such kind of catastrophe.
At the meeting, planning secretary Jafor Ahmed Chowdhury put fund requirement for the post-Sidr rehabilitation and sustainable disaster protection at $1808.87 million and finance secretary Mohammad Tareque sought $400 million fund as budgetary support.
Economic relations division (ERD) Secretary Aminul Islam Bhuiyan, food and disaster management secretary Ayub Miah, World Bank country director Xian Zhu and representatives from different donor countries and agencies were also present on the occasion.
After the LCG meeting, Bhuiyan told reporters that under the short-term and mid-term programme, the government put forward its requirement of $457.76 million fund for restoration of the infrastructure in the Sidr-hit areas.
"Besides, another $1351.09 million is necessary for a development programme aiming to make sustainable protection against such catastrophe. Some long-term development programmes like forestation in the Sundarbans and in the coastal belt, construction of new cyclone-shelter and well-protected schools and colleges will be implemented with the fund," he said.
He, however, said based on the government's damage assessment and fund requirement, the donor community will ascertain the extent of damage and losses caused by the recent cyclone in the coastal belt and then they will provide necessary support to the government.
Later, Xian Zhu said: "We have told the government that the donors would conduct an assessment of damage and then they would extend their support to the country for the post-Sidr rehabilitation and sustainable disaster protection."
Since Bangladesh is a vulnerable country in terms of disaster, it needs a permanent financial fund for the disaster management, Zhu stated.