Trackback URL
Download PDF Bangladesh Red Crescent Society yesterday said it has appealed for Tk 40 crore in international assistance for the victims of hurricane Sidr.
Bangladesh Red Crescent Society Chairman Prof M Abdur Rob in a press conference at the Society’s head office said the organisation has made the appeal via Geneva-based International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
“We have appealed for Tk 40 crore primarily and we will make the final appeal by Friday after completing the assessment of the losses. We hope to receive responses within a few days,” he added.
“We have already identified 2,750 bodies and the death toll may rise to over 10,000. We made the prediction from our previous experiences and reports and after assessing the intensity of hurricane Sidr,” said Rob adding that five teams comprising Bangladesh Red Crescent and IFRC officials have been sent to the affected areas for quick assessment of losses.
“We have already started to distribute relief items in the affected areas. For this purpose, we have already allocated Tk 52.5 lakh, 1,57,500 water purification tablets, 8,400 family kits, 4,200 plastic sheets, and 8,400 pieces each of sari, lungi and blankets. Besides, eight of our medical teams are now working in the15 worst affected districts,” Rob said.
Selvaratnam Sinnadurai, head of delegation of IFRC in Bangladesh, said around 42,000 Red Crescent volunteers worked round the clock in the coastal areas before and during the storm, saving many lives.
“We will make an emergency appeal by Friday. Besides, our 184 sister organisations have already joined with us to help the distressed people,” he said.
Finn Ruda, head of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said their teams are going to the affected region to assess loss and damage caused by the catastrophic hurricane.
Among others, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society Vice chairman Prof Dr Gazi Abdul Haque, Treasurer SM Munir Lavlu, Secretary-General M Shafiul Alam spoke at the press conference.
Comments are not moderated and only expresses personal views of visitors. BangladeshNews.com.bd is not responsible for commets posted by visitors.
Leave a Reply