The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Fate of about five hundred employees became uncertain, family planning and birth control activities hampered after countrywide activities of Bangladesh Association for Voluntary Sterilization stopped due to financial crisis.

BAVS sources said the organization financed by USAID started countrywide functioning for permanent sterilization of the couples since 1978 with 35 clinics. In 1992 funding agency USAID stopped financing BAVS due to some misunderstandings with national commitee of BAVS and its activities stopped.

Then in 1997 seventeen clinics of BAVS stated functioning financed by World Bank and in 1999 this agency also stopped financing.

Considering the importance of BAVS in population control and family planning Bangladesh government continued financing the organization providing funds from revenue sector till June 30,2006.

Since then in more than one year BAVS continued its activities of 17 clinics of the country in limited forms from own fund which also been exhausted.

Already 17 BAVS clinics in different parts of the country either stopped or suspended functioning at Malibag,Mirpur of Dhaka,Siddhirganj of Narayanganj, Barisal,Bhola,Sylhet, Jessore, Chandpur, Chitagong, Noakhali, Rajshahi, Khulna, Narshingdi, Tangail, Natore, Joypurhut and Bogura since July 01, 2007.

Advocate Humaun Kabir and Dr. Mizanur Rahman, two members of the BAVS management commitees of Bhola and Barisal said due to this crisis not only the activities of BAVS became stagnant in the country, but also the fate of the about five hundred staffs and employees of the organization became uncertain and valuable instruments, equipments, furniture of cores of taka would be damaged and destroyed. Administrative of the organization and joint secretary of health and family planning ministry already informed about this situation, they added.

Sources said from 1997 to June 2007 BAVS voluntarily sterilized 1.5 lakhs male and female, which is 75% of the total sterilization figures of the country.

Dr. S A Fida Hassan, deputy secretary of family planning directorate, acknowledging the facts of importance of BAVS in birth control and family planning programs of the country said as the program is yet to be approved by the planning commission, so the directorate can not able to take any decision about funding the organisation.