India is yet to fulfil the pledge it had made to support Bangladesh following the devastating cyclonic storm, Sidr, in November last.
The giant neighbour has only partially made available the rice it was supposed to export to Bangladesh by June 03 last under a government-to-government deal.
After the devastating cyclone-Sidr in mid-November, the Indian external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee on December 1, 2007 visited Bangladesh and announced that his country would withdraw ban on export of rice to Dhaka and ensure rehabilitation of 10 Sidr-affected villages.
"India has so far supplied around 90,000 tonnes of rice. We are still trying to import the remaining quantity of rice out of the 0.5 million tonnes of their export commitment," food and disaster management secretary Mollah Wahiduzzaman told the FE Friday
When asked about the rehabilitation of 10 severely damaged villages in coastal areas, he said, the Indian government has so far not started the rehabilitation works there.
"As per requirement of the Indian High Commission, we have submitted the construction designs of 1600 houses. The Indian government has proposed to build 1600 houses in 10 villages in the coastal areas," he said.
"When we requested the Indian side to start rehabilitation work they said that it would be done soon, Mr Wahiduzzaman said adding they did not confirm any specific date for starting the rehabilitation work.
Asked about the present status of India's rice export to Bangladesh, Director General of Food Pius Costa said: "Out of the 0.5 million tonnes of rice, 85,000 tonnes has already reached our warehouses from India. Another 6,1000 tonnes of rice have reached Chittagong port."
"I cannot confirm you when the remaining rice will reach the country," he said when asked about the remaining quantity.
As per commitment of Indian foreign minister, Dhaka and Delhi inked a deal on February 18 this year for importing 0.1 million tonnes of rice at a rate of $399 per tonne after marathon talks with the Indian side.
Later in March this year another two rounds of meetings were held with the Indian delegation in Dhaka to fix the details and timetable for importing another 0.4 million tones of rice.
The two sides signed an agreement on April 3 for importing the rice at an average rate of $430 per tonne by Bangladesh. The export of 0.4 million tonnes of rice was scheduled to be completed within two months from the date of the agreement.
"Though the deadline of rice import by the Indian side has expired, Delhi did not supply us the remaining 0.4 million tonnes of rice until now," a high official of the food ministry said.
"We've worked hard to import the half a million tonnes of rice from India during our crisis period before harvesting Boro. But it could not be achieved," he said.
Meanwhile, an economic relations division (ERD) official said that the government has received US$353 million worth of relief for Sidr-hit people until May this year from different countries and agencies.
After the devastating cyclone across the coastal districts in Bangladesh on November 15, 2007, different donor agencies and countries made commitments to provide relief worth $367.5 million.
