The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Rashed Khan Menon, president of Workers Party, emphasising on proper coordination in relief works said distressed peoples of the Sidr affected areas would be rehabilitated immediately by giving economic helps for employment to return in economic activities.

In a press conference held at Barisal office of the party on Tuesday night Menon describing his experiences of recent visits and relief activities of the party in Sidr affected areas said avoiding and not involving the political party leaders and activists, who were well experienced about local peoples and region, caused gaps in coordination of relief works.

However after overcoming uneasiness and inanimateness of the state of emergency the total nation including the political activists and other classes and organisations now became active in coming forward to stand by the side of the Sidr distressed peoples. About the presence of the US forces Menon said peoples are anxious and suspicious about their presence and could not forget the signing of HANA and SAPTA treaty after 'operation angles' of US force in 1991.We could not understand which force is killing innocent peoples in Iraq, how they could help saving lives of peoples in Bangladesh.

About the profit-seeking activities of NGO's Menon said except Grameen Bank, the other national NGOs like Asa and local NGOs still active in collecting their installments of micro credit loans in Sidr affective areas.

NGOs not only stop this inhuman activities for at least next three months, but government also to extend their helps in giving subsidy to local small NGOs in this regard, Menon explained.

Rashed Khan Menon while describing his recent visits at Sidr affected different areas under Kalapara and Khepupara Upazilas of Patuakhali, Taltali, Patharghata of Barguna, Uzirpur,Babuganj, Gournadi upazilas of Barisal districts said even after passing about three weeks we still seeing lack of objective information and coordination in relief and rehabilitation works of government and non-government organisations.

This not only causing over lapping, but also creating agitations and frustrations among the distressed peoples in Sidr affected areas. Lists of relief and VGF card recipients are preparing by local government members often came under allegations of nepotisms and election politics, he told.

He condemning controlling these agitations by oppressions, attacking, arresting and lodging case said it only could be eliminated by the coordinated relief and rehabilitation works.

Quoting his experience about the works of local government and administration Menon said all of them including the officials of joint forces after repeated visiting listed many fully destroyed educational institutions as partly damaged and offering only Tk. 50 thousand as help by giving hard impractical terms and condition by rebuilding those in new ground with new materials.

He hailed the decision of government about exemption of tuition and examination fees of the students in Sidr affected area.

However Menon said without supplying books and other educational equipment free of cost and reconstruction and repairing of destroyed and damaged educational institution and deferring dates of examinations could not be affective to ensure continuation of future educational and professional lives of thousands of students in Sidr affected areas.

Even after passing more than two weeks of time still sign of devastation caused by hurricane Sidr are seen in the affected areas and relief and rehabilitation works yet not coordinated and reached to every affected person, he said. Menon also cautioned against any kinds of discrimination and spreading any kind of communalism in disguise of relief aid and works by different religion based non-government organisations.

Some Islamic NGO's distributing relief items with communal attitude avoiding distressed peoples of non-Muslim and indigenous communities, Menon alleged.

Menon called for sanction and distributions of different types of financial assistances for rehabilitations including interest free and easy termed loans, purifying waters of the ponds and tanks, sinking deep tube wells for drinking waters, supplying fishing boats, nets, seeds, sapling, poultry, and hatchery items and employments of the Sidr affected farmers, fishermen, poultry traders and small businessmen.

Although number of deaths and injuries are less in inner part of the Sidr affected areas than the coastal belt, but financial losses are more as these region are totally depended on agricultural sector, he added.

Menon said pisceculture, fishing, paddy and seasonal crops, betel leaf plantations, fishing boats and nets destroyed in these areas.

For Sidr affected peoples of this region starting movement of economic wheels are needed urgently by giving sustainable rehabilitation helps, he added.

Menon while exchanging views and answering questions of the journalists in press conference also said rich and developed countries of the world are liable for changing climates and pollution of the environments in the earth.

The poor under developed countries like Bangladesh became the helpless victims of natural calamities like hurricane Sidr, caused from global warming by them.

Different teams of Workers Party led by central and local leaders still active in relief and rehabilitation works in different Sidr affected areas of Pirojpur, Bhola, Jhalakati of Barisal division, Khulna, Bagerhut,Satkhira of Khulna division.

Nazrul Huq Nilu, central committee member of WP, presided over the press conference and Prof Isahaq Sharif,Bazlur Rahman, Shanti Das,Nripendranath Baroi,Jalilur Rahman, Advocate Tipu Sultan, and other leaders of Workers Party were present in the press conference.