‘Foreign agencies should invest in infrastructures’
FE Report | Thursday, 19 June 2014
Chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on finance ministry Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said Wednesday that most of the foreign development agencies are willing more to invest in awareness creation programme instead of infrastructural development.
"Because of media coverage and increased schooling, our citizens are now aware enough about climate change issues", Mr Razzaque said while addressing a post-budget briefing styled Disaster management and Relief: National Budget 2014-2015.
The Department of Disaster Science and Management and Centre on Budget and Policy of Dhaka University (DU) jointly organised the programme at the university's Senate Building.
Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal addressed the event as chief guest while DU Vice Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique was in the chair. Chairman of the Disaster Management Department Prof Dr ASM Maksud Kamal and Director of the Centre on Budget and Policy Prof Dr Abu Eusuf jointly briefed on the proposed budget.
Among others, Director General of Department of Disaster Management and National Project Director of the Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP-ii) Mohammad Abdul Qayyum addressed the event.
Mr Razzaque said the foreign development agencies who are willing to work in Bangladesh should give emphasis on infrastructural development like construction of embankment across the coastal region and school buildings instead of focusing on programmes like seminars and conferences.
"Our embankments, especially in the coastal areas, need to undergo major renovation as these frequently become subjected to vulnerability during the natural calamities", he noted.
Planning minister Mr Kamal underscored the need for united efforts to combat climate challenges that frequently hinder the country's smooth development process.
Regarding the budgetary allocations, the minister said it is true that direct fund allocation for the disaster management in the proposed budget is low, but other indirect allocations like annual development programme contains necessary fund to mitigate the climate change issues.