The New Nation - Internet Edition

THE interim government is working on preparation of the second version of the lender-driven 'poverty reduction strategy paper' (PRSP). The finance adviser the other day presided over a 'citizens consultation' meeting in southern divisional headquarters in Barisal, one of the areas worst affected by severe cyclone Sidr. The obvious reason reportedly was for accommodation of the views of the Sidr-affected people in the development document since the damage caused has changed the development perspective of the region for many years as mentioned by officials.

The PRSP consultation meeting was considered part of pre-budget consultation with cross sections of people following the recent one held in Chittagong where citizens put forward various suggestions for the budget for the 2008-2009 fiscal year to be announced in June next. The government enters into a new chapter of the strategy paper euphemistically named as 'Unlocking the Potentials: National Strategy for Accelerated Poverty Reduction' which is set to expire in June after one-year extension following completion of three-year period. The PRSP document was effective from 2004-2005 fiscal year to get access to lending from international financial institutions although the external assistance has been reduced to 2.5 per cent of Bangladesh's GDP in recent years.

The government is yet to finalise the assessment of the present PRSP that was launched for achieving the millennium development goals set by the United Nations for stamping out the curse of poverty from the planet. Multilateral lenders and bilateral donors which are sympathetic about reconstruction of the cyclone Sidr-affected areas, earlier stressed that the government's policymakers should get inputs from the survivors to assess their real needs and draw suitable projects accordingly for the region. A proposed multi-donor trust fund for climate change mitigation and adaptation may also be linked to the programmes targeting the country's southern part, which is considered more vulnerable to sea level rise salinity and natural calamities.