Total loss estimated at $2.31b
Monday, 26 November 2007
A coordination meeting between the government and business community Sunday urged all to operate relief activities in coordination with the local administration for proper distribution of relief materials, reports UNB.
Participants of the meeting, many of whom have already visited the cyclone-affected areas and took part in the relief operation, agreed that the relief materials were being distributed haphazardly for lack of coordination.
"It has been reported that cyclone victims in some areas have got large quantity of relief and sold out the excess materials," Principal Staff Officer (PSO) at the Armed Forces Division Lt Gen Masud Uddin Chowdhury told the meeting at `Khadyo Bhaban'.
On the other hand, the relief materials hardly reached some other areas, he said.
Replying to a question, Masud said a preliminary estimate puts the total loss from the cyclone at US$ 2.31 billion, including rural infrastructure, schools, crops and livestock.
Finance Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam, Food and Disaster Management Adviser Tapan Chowdhury, FBCCI president Mir Nasir Hossain, representatives from different trade bodies and renowned businessmen were present at the meeting.
The meeting tried to identify loopholes in the relief activities as well as to get an estimate on how much the business community could spend in this connection.
Addressing the meeting, Aziz said the rural infrastructure would be developed again and new shelters also developed under short and medium term plans.
"It will cause budgetary pressure, but will be managed from three sources," he said.
He added that the additional expenditure would be met from foreign assistance, lump allocation in the budget and, if necessary, by cutting ADP (Annual Development Programme) expenditure.
Masud said the business community's commitment at the meeting would be around Tk 200-250 million in cash and kind (food, cloths and other materials) while the businessmen informed that some trade bodies would hold meetings in a day or two to decide their contributions.
Large business houses as well as commercial banks will also have to take decisions through their respective board of directors. The businessmen also told the meeting that they were already conducting relief activities in their individual capacity.
Mir Nasir estimated that the cumulative figure to be contributed by the business community including banks and telecom companies would be no less than Tk 1.00 billion.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Masud said lack of coordination even exists in some cases within the government. The relief goods are not going through one channel and these are hard to dispatch to some remote places, causing lack of coordination.
Replying to a question, he said the government had a meeting with the foreign envoys and development partners and requested them to channel their relief through the administration for better coordination.
Mir Nasir, who returned from the affected areas Saturday night, said it is difficult to reach relief materials to some remote places by road. "River routes will be better for such places… but one must have some time in hand."
He said the food crisis has been mitigated to some extent by now and what is essential now is to address the problems of clothes, shelters and water-borne diseases.
Inquired by the businessmen if the relief expenditures would be tax-free, the Finance Adviser explained that the amount to be contributed to the Chief Adviser's Relief Fund is exempted while the FBCCI president said that an individual contribution up to Tk 0.25 million is tax-free.
Meanwhile, the government decided to lend Tk 1.30 billion from the fund of the Finance Ministry in soft credit to cyclone-stricken small traders and fishermen as well as for livestock and poultry for the revival of shattered livelihoods.
A regular weekly meeting of the Council of Advisers, chaired by Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, took the decision on the special lending scheme, as part of a massive post-cyclone rehabilitation programme.
The Finance Ministry will disburse the funds through Palli Karma Shahayak Foundation (PKSF). The PKSF would disburse the fund through micro-finance- providing organisations.
While thoroughly reviewing the relief and rehabilitation operations in the cyclone-battered southwestern region, the meeting was informed that pure drinking water is being supplied at Pathorghata with the help of diesel-run generator. Drinking water is being supplied in the remote water-scant areas from 35 new water sources.
Besides, the meeting approved a proposal on Bangladesh's ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities along with its reservations on two sections of the instrument.
In December last year, the Convention was adopted in the 61st Session of UNGA in New York. A total of 118 countries and organisations, including Bangladesh, signed on the convention. Bangladesh signed the convention on May 9, 2007.
The council meeting approved another proposal making Bangladesh a party to the ICT Agreement of Multilateral South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC).
Comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal, the forum was formed in October 2002. It gives priority to transport, tourism, trade, investment in energy and power, environment and ICT sectors.
The meeting also approved in principle Bangladesh University of Professionals Ordinance 2007, asking the
Law Ministry for vetting and placing it again before the council meeting. "ICT connectivity would help in improving economy and reducing poverty," it is stated.
Participants of the meeting, many of whom have already visited the cyclone-affected areas and took part in the relief operation, agreed that the relief materials were being distributed haphazardly for lack of coordination.
"It has been reported that cyclone victims in some areas have got large quantity of relief and sold out the excess materials," Principal Staff Officer (PSO) at the Armed Forces Division Lt Gen Masud Uddin Chowdhury told the meeting at `Khadyo Bhaban'.
On the other hand, the relief materials hardly reached some other areas, he said.
Replying to a question, Masud said a preliminary estimate puts the total loss from the cyclone at US$ 2.31 billion, including rural infrastructure, schools, crops and livestock.
Finance Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam, Food and Disaster Management Adviser Tapan Chowdhury, FBCCI president Mir Nasir Hossain, representatives from different trade bodies and renowned businessmen were present at the meeting.
The meeting tried to identify loopholes in the relief activities as well as to get an estimate on how much the business community could spend in this connection.
Addressing the meeting, Aziz said the rural infrastructure would be developed again and new shelters also developed under short and medium term plans.
"It will cause budgetary pressure, but will be managed from three sources," he said.
He added that the additional expenditure would be met from foreign assistance, lump allocation in the budget and, if necessary, by cutting ADP (Annual Development Programme) expenditure.
Masud said the business community's commitment at the meeting would be around Tk 200-250 million in cash and kind (food, cloths and other materials) while the businessmen informed that some trade bodies would hold meetings in a day or two to decide their contributions.
Large business houses as well as commercial banks will also have to take decisions through their respective board of directors. The businessmen also told the meeting that they were already conducting relief activities in their individual capacity.
Mir Nasir estimated that the cumulative figure to be contributed by the business community including banks and telecom companies would be no less than Tk 1.00 billion.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Masud said lack of coordination even exists in some cases within the government. The relief goods are not going through one channel and these are hard to dispatch to some remote places, causing lack of coordination.
Replying to a question, he said the government had a meeting with the foreign envoys and development partners and requested them to channel their relief through the administration for better coordination.
Mir Nasir, who returned from the affected areas Saturday night, said it is difficult to reach relief materials to some remote places by road. "River routes will be better for such places… but one must have some time in hand."
He said the food crisis has been mitigated to some extent by now and what is essential now is to address the problems of clothes, shelters and water-borne diseases.
Inquired by the businessmen if the relief expenditures would be tax-free, the Finance Adviser explained that the amount to be contributed to the Chief Adviser's Relief Fund is exempted while the FBCCI president said that an individual contribution up to Tk 0.25 million is tax-free.
Meanwhile, the government decided to lend Tk 1.30 billion from the fund of the Finance Ministry in soft credit to cyclone-stricken small traders and fishermen as well as for livestock and poultry for the revival of shattered livelihoods.
A regular weekly meeting of the Council of Advisers, chaired by Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, took the decision on the special lending scheme, as part of a massive post-cyclone rehabilitation programme.
The Finance Ministry will disburse the funds through Palli Karma Shahayak Foundation (PKSF). The PKSF would disburse the fund through micro-finance- providing organisations.
While thoroughly reviewing the relief and rehabilitation operations in the cyclone-battered southwestern region, the meeting was informed that pure drinking water is being supplied at Pathorghata with the help of diesel-run generator. Drinking water is being supplied in the remote water-scant areas from 35 new water sources.
Besides, the meeting approved a proposal on Bangladesh's ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities along with its reservations on two sections of the instrument.
In December last year, the Convention was adopted in the 61st Session of UNGA in New York. A total of 118 countries and organisations, including Bangladesh, signed on the convention. Bangladesh signed the convention on May 9, 2007.
The council meeting approved another proposal making Bangladesh a party to the ICT Agreement of Multilateral South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC).
Comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal, the forum was formed in October 2002. It gives priority to transport, tourism, trade, investment in energy and power, environment and ICT sectors.
The meeting also approved in principle Bangladesh University of Professionals Ordinance 2007, asking the
Law Ministry for vetting and placing it again before the council meeting. "ICT connectivity would help in improving economy and reducing poverty," it is stated.