Helping cyclone survivor domestically
Tuesday, 27 November 2007
OUT of the 150 million of Bangladesh, about 40 million suffered, in varying degrees, from the cyclone SIDR. About 110 million others escaped its fury to retain their assets. Not all of the 110 million unaffected possess resources in the same level. But hundreds of thousands of them are rich in possession of vast wealth. Next to them there are millions of people, in the middle classes, who also have surplus wealth . Further below are the poor, having some resources to spare for the fellow cyclone affected countrymen.
If this assortment of the rich, the middle classes and the poor, numbering, over 100 million, are inspired to make a contribution for the cyclone victims, who lost everything, Bangladesh will be able to handle its disaster management task amply well.
Voluntary donations in cash and kind, from the unaffected, according to the abilities of donors, can mobilise a mountain of resources for distribution among the cyclone victims to meet their immediate and longer tern needs.
The government, the NGOs and welfare organisations should appeal to the charitable and patriotic feelings of our people. One may expect with near certainty that given the motivation the people will not be tight fisted, but would come out to generously help the needy. This would make recovery from the devastation so much the easier. And the world would be impressed by a splendid example of the Bangladeshis helping their own.
Imtiyaz Hossain
Rankin Street, Wari, Dhaka
If this assortment of the rich, the middle classes and the poor, numbering, over 100 million, are inspired to make a contribution for the cyclone victims, who lost everything, Bangladesh will be able to handle its disaster management task amply well.
Voluntary donations in cash and kind, from the unaffected, according to the abilities of donors, can mobilise a mountain of resources for distribution among the cyclone victims to meet their immediate and longer tern needs.
The government, the NGOs and welfare organisations should appeal to the charitable and patriotic feelings of our people. One may expect with near certainty that given the motivation the people will not be tight fisted, but would come out to generously help the needy. This would make recovery from the devastation so much the easier. And the world would be impressed by a splendid example of the Bangladeshis helping their own.
Imtiyaz Hossain
Rankin Street, Wari, Dhaka