DHAKA, 1 December 2007 — The UN food agency, World Food Program, has unveiled a $52 million, six-month plan to provide emergency aid to 2.2 million Bangladeshis affected by the killer cyclone.
The aim is to avoid a repeat of the surge in malnutrition rates that typically follows a cyclone in Bangladesh, a senior WFP official said in Dhaka yesterday.
Cyclone Sidr killed about 3,500 people, left thousands missing or injured, and displaced two million.
“This time, WFP will start longer-term distributions to families with hopes of preventing increases in malnutrition throughout the region,” said Josette Sheeran, the agency’s executive director.
The emergency operation would follow the just-completed UN assessment that found roughly 4.7 million people living in the worst affected areas with 2.2 million needing immediate food assistance, the WFP said.
“While immediate food aid such as high energy biscuits continue to be rushed into the cyclone-hit areas, WFP is now ready to begin a longer-term, more comprehensive food assistance program that will get nutritious foods directly to the children who need it the most,” said WFP Bangladesh Representative Douglas Broderick.
Despite intensified relief efforts, supervised by the Bangladesh Army and helped by the US Navy and helicopters, many survivors in remote areas had yet to receive food and water, reporters said.
Bangladesh’s army-backed interim government has said no one would be left out of the relief effort.
Meanwhile, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Anwar Choudhury said yesterday it might take two to three months to restore normal life in the cyclone-battered coastal districts. “My feeling is that it may take two to three months before the situation can become normal,” he said while handing over relief goods to Chief of General Staff of Bangladesh Army Maj. Gen. Sina Ibn Jamali.
