The UK and the USA have announced emergency flood relief for Bangladesh.
The UK has released additional emergency funding of £442,548 (over Tk 50 million) to support communities affected by the ongoing floods in Sylhet division, a spokesperson of the British High Commission in Dhaka said.
This brings the UK’s contribution to the flood relief effort in recent weeks to £636,548 (over Tk 70 million).
Announcing the assistance, acting British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Mr Javed Patel, on Wednesday said, “The devastation we have seen from flooding this year in Bangladesh has been heartbreaking. The new emergency funding we have released today will be used to support the most vulnerable through cash assistance, shelter management, water and sanitation, and educational materials.”
The UK’s funding has been allocated through Start Fund Bangladesh and will be administered through Caritas Bangladesh, Christian Aid, Voluntary Association for Rural Development, and World Vision Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, in response to record-level rainfall and catastrophic flooding across areas of northern Bangladesh, the United States is providing over Tk 230 million ($244,680) of emergency funding.
It will be channelled through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to deliver critical relief to families and communities hit hardest by this crisis, a spokesperson of the US Embassy in Dhaka said.
“Some of these areas have not seen floodwaters like this for over 120 years.
The United States continues to stand by the government and the people of Bangladesh during these challenging times and will support our partners on the ground to deliver crucial assistance to people in areas most affected by the deluge,” said US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Helen LaFave.
The United States has provided more than $8.0 billion in assistance to Bangladesh over the past 50 years.
“ Last year alone, USAID provided over $120 million in humanitarian assistance and an additional $200 million to improve the lives of people in Bangladesh through programmes that expand food security and economic opportunity, improve health and education, promote democratic institutions and practices, protect the environment, and increase resilience to climate change” the spokesperson added.
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