The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Government yesterday requested donors to provide 500,000 tons of food-grains assistance to meet the deficit caused by severe cyclone Sidr and maintain food security in the country.

Food and Disaster Management Adviser Tapan Chowdhury sought the assistance during a meeting with envoys of the donor countries and representatives of international donor agencies yesterday.

"To keep the minimum food stock of one million tons, the Government needs immediate assistance of 500,000 tons," Tapan Chowdhury told journalists after the meeting.

He said presently the Government has a stock of 700,000 tons of food-grains, of which 200,000 tons would be sent to the cyclone-affected areas immediately.

The Adviser requested the donor countries, who want to provide food aid to purchase the food-grain from outside Bangladesh so that it does not affect the domestic market.

The devastating cyclone, one of the fiercest cyclones that hit Bangladesh in last 131 year, affected 34 out of the country's 64 districts, leaving over 3,278 people dead, over 1,000 missing and millions homeless. Crops on about 1.7 million acres of land were damaged, as per official estimate. The cyclone was preceded by two successive floods, which had inundated 40 per cent of the country's landmass this year and causing severe damage to the economy.

British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury, who was present at the meeting, said his Government would provide US 10 million dollars in emergency aid, which would be disbursed through DFID and other NGOs.

He said British Telecom would help restore the telecommunications system damaged by the storm without any cost.

An aircraft carrying British relief, including 41,000 blankets and 40,000 hurricanes, will arrive in Dhaka today, he added.

The High Commissioner said according to their estimate as many as 7,000 people have died in the cyclone Sidr, which he said was more powerful than hurricane Katrina that had struck USA.

Appreciating the Government's relief operation, Anwar Chowdhury said the affected people were now feeling the presence of the Government.

United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Renata Lok Dessallien said Bangladesh should do emergency work in six sectors-immediate food supply, pure water, sanitation, rehabilitation, security, and health.

Some 7 million people have been affected by the cyclone, she said, appreciating Government's relief-distribution plan, she added.

The UN Resident Coordinator pointed out saying, "There are some difficulties in coordination in carrying out relief and rehabilitation work."

Meanwhile, the American people through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have pledged more than $10 million of Food for the relief and immediate recovery efforts and Turkish Ambassador Ferit Ergin yesterday donated US 1 million dollars for the cyclone survivors in Bangladesh.

The USAID assistance includes more than 3,000 tons of food for Peace assistance already in Bangladesh as part of CARE and Save the Children grants provided through USAID. These in-country stocks will be distributed immediately, and additional commodities will follow, said a press release yesterday.

"This food aid is not just a life-saving measure but a visible demonstration of the goodwill of the American people to Bangladeshis in their time of need," said Michael Hess, USAID Assistant Administrator for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance.

Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury received a cheque of US 1 million dollars from Turkish Ambassador Ferit Ergin yesterday afternoon.

"Bangladesh sees Turkey as a close friend and partner, and I told the Turkish Ambassador so", said Dr. Iftekhar Chowdhury told journalists, adding that they also discussed matters pertaining to the bilateral economic and political issues, a Foreign Ministry press release said.