Govt seeks support from businesses today
Tuesday, 20 November 2007
FE Report
The government will seek support from the country's business community to help the affected people of Thursday's worst cyclone-hit coastal districts.
"We will sit tomorrow (Tuesday) with leaders of the local business organisations to discuss how they can help the cyclone-affected people," Disaster Management adviser Tapan Chowdhury said Monday.
He also added: "Supports will be sought from the local business community for the victims of the cyclone 'SIDR' that has wreaked havoc to homesteads, agriculture and livestock in the south-western districts.
Tapan, who is also the adviser of the Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, was speaking at a press conference on the latest situation about the government's rescue and relief operations the cyclone affected areas.
Food and Disaster Management Secretary Ayub Miyan and other senior government officials were present at the press briefing, which was held at the Secretariat.
The adviser's announcement of the meeting with the local business leaders came just one day after the disaster ministry held a discussion with some 42 development partners of Bangladesh.
He also informed the newsmen that the Saudi government assured Monday the Bangladesh government of providing US$ 100 million while another Tk 1.0 billion will be available from the Japan government for the SIDR victims.
With the amounts, the total fund pledged by development partners now stands at $ 140 million to help the government run relief and rehabilitation activities in the affected districts, he mentioned.
Moreover, a US aircraft will soon arrive in the country to join the relief operations while the Japanese Ambassador in Dhaka will also handover some 416 boxes of relief materials to the government within a day or two.
"Since we have already discussed the adverse impact of the SIDR and the government's post-disaster rescue and relief operations with the development partners, we should simultaneously seek support from our local businessmen as well," Tapan said.
He, however, said people from all walks of life should come forward individually or collectively to help the cyclone-affected people, who are in dire need of food, drinking water and shelters.
Some 0.91 million families comprising more than 3.27 million people have been badly affected in worst-hit 12 districts by 'SIDR', the press conference was told.
Responding to a query on whether or not the country's political parties would be able to join the post-disaster relief operations due to the prevailing state of emergency, the adviser said, "There is no relation between the emergency and the relief distributions."
He further said the political parties are also allowed to go to the cyclone-hit areas for distributing relief materials.
Responding to another question, the disaster adviser said: "No decision has yet been taken on whether or not the government will sit with the country's political parties for seeking their support for helping the affected people."
He also told the press briefing that the government has already sanctioned Tk 360 million for re-construction of damaged houses in addition to the allocation of Tk 125 million from the Chief Adviser's fund, 75,000 tonnes of rice, 5110 pieces of blankets, among other relief materials, for the cyclone-hit areas.
Replying to a query on allegations that the government's emergency relief materials are yet to reach many of the affected people, the Disaster Secretary said all the district administrations have acknowledged the receipt of the relief materials.
Agencies add: Besides, the US Pacific Command has sent a 23-man humanitarian assistance survey team of US Marines to the southern coast of Bangladesh to determine how the US military can best provide assistance in the area. A military medical team, already in the country, is prepared to provide medical assistance to the injured.
In addition, US Navy ships - USS Essex and USS Kearsarge - have been ordered to move in the direction of Bangladesh, which are expected to arrive here in five to seven days. Each of them carries 20 or more helicopters that can be used for medical evacuations and surveying affected areas. The Department of Defense will also continue to assess assets, which may be deployed in Bangladesh.
The Chinese government has decided to donate emergency assistance worth $1.0 million for the relief and rehabilitation activities for the country's cyclone victims. The Red Cross Society of China will also donate $50,000 to Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS).
The Swiss government and charity organisations are sending immediate aid worth about $7,60,000 to the 'SIDR'-survivors of Bangladesh. The charity will go in part to support efforts by BDRCS to provide those in need with food packets, drinking water and medicine.
The Swiss offer comes in response to an appeal by BDRCS for $6.0 for relief and reconstruction efforts in the cyclone-affected districts.
The Australian government has announced that it will provide Tk 180.0 million for emergency relief and recovery efforts in communities, affected by cyclone 'SIDR'.
Announcing the decision, the Australian High Commissioner Douglas Foskett said, through its international aid agency - AusAID - Australia will contribute A$1.0 million each to Australian NGOs working in Bangladesh for relief assistance.
Japan is providing emergency assistance of Tk 2,13,50,000 for the 'SIDR'-victims. The first consignment of the emergency aid will arrive in the country today (Tuesday) from Singapore where materials are pre-positioned, Japanese Ambassador Massayuki Inoue told the reporters after a meeting with Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury Monday.
Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee telephoned Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr Iftekhar Chowdhury Sunday, expressing India's sympathy for loss of life and property in the cyclone. He also offered New Delhi's assistance for the victims of the calamity.
The government will seek support from the country's business community to help the affected people of Thursday's worst cyclone-hit coastal districts.
"We will sit tomorrow (Tuesday) with leaders of the local business organisations to discuss how they can help the cyclone-affected people," Disaster Management adviser Tapan Chowdhury said Monday.
He also added: "Supports will be sought from the local business community for the victims of the cyclone 'SIDR' that has wreaked havoc to homesteads, agriculture and livestock in the south-western districts.
Tapan, who is also the adviser of the Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, was speaking at a press conference on the latest situation about the government's rescue and relief operations the cyclone affected areas.
Food and Disaster Management Secretary Ayub Miyan and other senior government officials were present at the press briefing, which was held at the Secretariat.
The adviser's announcement of the meeting with the local business leaders came just one day after the disaster ministry held a discussion with some 42 development partners of Bangladesh.
He also informed the newsmen that the Saudi government assured Monday the Bangladesh government of providing US$ 100 million while another Tk 1.0 billion will be available from the Japan government for the SIDR victims.
With the amounts, the total fund pledged by development partners now stands at $ 140 million to help the government run relief and rehabilitation activities in the affected districts, he mentioned.
Moreover, a US aircraft will soon arrive in the country to join the relief operations while the Japanese Ambassador in Dhaka will also handover some 416 boxes of relief materials to the government within a day or two.
"Since we have already discussed the adverse impact of the SIDR and the government's post-disaster rescue and relief operations with the development partners, we should simultaneously seek support from our local businessmen as well," Tapan said.
He, however, said people from all walks of life should come forward individually or collectively to help the cyclone-affected people, who are in dire need of food, drinking water and shelters.
Some 0.91 million families comprising more than 3.27 million people have been badly affected in worst-hit 12 districts by 'SIDR', the press conference was told.
Responding to a query on whether or not the country's political parties would be able to join the post-disaster relief operations due to the prevailing state of emergency, the adviser said, "There is no relation between the emergency and the relief distributions."
He further said the political parties are also allowed to go to the cyclone-hit areas for distributing relief materials.
Responding to another question, the disaster adviser said: "No decision has yet been taken on whether or not the government will sit with the country's political parties for seeking their support for helping the affected people."
He also told the press briefing that the government has already sanctioned Tk 360 million for re-construction of damaged houses in addition to the allocation of Tk 125 million from the Chief Adviser's fund, 75,000 tonnes of rice, 5110 pieces of blankets, among other relief materials, for the cyclone-hit areas.
Replying to a query on allegations that the government's emergency relief materials are yet to reach many of the affected people, the Disaster Secretary said all the district administrations have acknowledged the receipt of the relief materials.
Agencies add: Besides, the US Pacific Command has sent a 23-man humanitarian assistance survey team of US Marines to the southern coast of Bangladesh to determine how the US military can best provide assistance in the area. A military medical team, already in the country, is prepared to provide medical assistance to the injured.
In addition, US Navy ships - USS Essex and USS Kearsarge - have been ordered to move in the direction of Bangladesh, which are expected to arrive here in five to seven days. Each of them carries 20 or more helicopters that can be used for medical evacuations and surveying affected areas. The Department of Defense will also continue to assess assets, which may be deployed in Bangladesh.
The Chinese government has decided to donate emergency assistance worth $1.0 million for the relief and rehabilitation activities for the country's cyclone victims. The Red Cross Society of China will also donate $50,000 to Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS).
The Swiss government and charity organisations are sending immediate aid worth about $7,60,000 to the 'SIDR'-survivors of Bangladesh. The charity will go in part to support efforts by BDRCS to provide those in need with food packets, drinking water and medicine.
The Swiss offer comes in response to an appeal by BDRCS for $6.0 for relief and reconstruction efforts in the cyclone-affected districts.
The Australian government has announced that it will provide Tk 180.0 million for emergency relief and recovery efforts in communities, affected by cyclone 'SIDR'.
Announcing the decision, the Australian High Commissioner Douglas Foskett said, through its international aid agency - AusAID - Australia will contribute A$1.0 million each to Australian NGOs working in Bangladesh for relief assistance.
Japan is providing emergency assistance of Tk 2,13,50,000 for the 'SIDR'-victims. The first consignment of the emergency aid will arrive in the country today (Tuesday) from Singapore where materials are pre-positioned, Japanese Ambassador Massayuki Inoue told the reporters after a meeting with Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury Monday.
Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee telephoned Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr Iftekhar Chowdhury Sunday, expressing India's sympathy for loss of life and property in the cyclone. He also offered New Delhi's assistance for the victims of the calamity.