Adviser unhappy over role of businessmen and NGOs
Monday, 3 December 2007
BARISAL, Dec 2 (UNB): Adviser M A Matin today expressed dissatisfaction at the role of business people and NGOs in the cyclone affected areas.
"Businessmen have played many tricks with prices of essentials. They must not do it anymore. Each man is answerable and accountable to the people and the Creator for his deeds and nobody would be allowed to play with the fate of distressed people," Matin told a meeting of cross section of people at the Circuit House.
Also coordinator of relief and rehabilitation, Matin was critical of certain non-government organisations (NGOs) who have reportedly took away corrugated iron sheets (tins) from the roofs of house of a woman borrower in the cyclone affected area for failing to repay the micro credit. "Such inhuman activity would not be tolerated," warned the Communications Adviser.
Bangladesh Bank governor Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed and Brig Gen Rashiduzzaman also spoke at the meeting.
Dr. Salahuddin informed the meeting that all commercial banks have been instructed to soften the hard rules of realising loans from the borrowers in cyclone affected areas. Defaulting loans should be rescheduled without asking for repayment.
He advised the NGOs to go slow in recovery of credits.
Brig Rashiduzaman gave a resume of relief and rehabilitation activities.
His latest estimate showed 3,300 people died, 863 remained missing, 5,63,000 houses and crops on 1.1 million hectares damaged by the cyclone.
Some 2, 65,000 bundles of CI sheets would be required for reconstruction and repair of houses. But so far only 13,000 bundles have been procured from home and abroad.
About 10,500 tonnes of rice, 15,000 blankets and 47.0 billion taka have been provided for relief.
"Businessmen have played many tricks with prices of essentials. They must not do it anymore. Each man is answerable and accountable to the people and the Creator for his deeds and nobody would be allowed to play with the fate of distressed people," Matin told a meeting of cross section of people at the Circuit House.
Also coordinator of relief and rehabilitation, Matin was critical of certain non-government organisations (NGOs) who have reportedly took away corrugated iron sheets (tins) from the roofs of house of a woman borrower in the cyclone affected area for failing to repay the micro credit. "Such inhuman activity would not be tolerated," warned the Communications Adviser.
Bangladesh Bank governor Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed and Brig Gen Rashiduzzaman also spoke at the meeting.
Dr. Salahuddin informed the meeting that all commercial banks have been instructed to soften the hard rules of realising loans from the borrowers in cyclone affected areas. Defaulting loans should be rescheduled without asking for repayment.
He advised the NGOs to go slow in recovery of credits.
Brig Rashiduzaman gave a resume of relief and rehabilitation activities.
His latest estimate showed 3,300 people died, 863 remained missing, 5,63,000 houses and crops on 1.1 million hectares damaged by the cyclone.
Some 2, 65,000 bundles of CI sheets would be required for reconstruction and repair of houses. But so far only 13,000 bundles have been procured from home and abroad.
About 10,500 tonnes of rice, 15,000 blankets and 47.0 billion taka have been provided for relief.