Jeremy Page, South Asia Correspondent
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Bangladesh has appealed for more international aid to deal with a national crisis after the “unimaginable” destruction caused by the worst cyclone to hit the country in a decade.
Fakhruddin Ahmed, the head of the military-backed emergency Government, said that about four million people had been affected by Cyclone Sidr last week, and the death toll – currently nearly 3,500 – was rising.
“We are faced with a national crisis. I hope that the people will come forward to help those affected,” he said in a televised address. “The destruction of houses, roads, trees and crops by the hurricane is unimaginable.”
The Category 4 cyclone swept across the Bay of Bengal and crashed into the southern coast of Bangladesh on Thursday evening, with 155mph winds causing a 6m (20ft) tidal wave in some coastal areas.
It was the worst natural disaster in Bangladesh, which has a population of 150 million, since 1991 when a cyclone and storm surge killed about 143,000 people.
While officials put the death toll at between 3,400 and 3,500 yesterday, the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society says that the final figure could be as high as 10,000.
The United Nations estimates that more than 273,000 homes have been destroyed and 650,000 damaged in the country – one of the poorest and most densely populated in the world.
International aid worth about $142 million (£69 million) has so far been pledged, with the UN granting $8.75 million yesterday and the European Commission announcing an aid package of $9.6 million.
Britain said yesterday that it would provide £2.5 million for immediate relief efforts and would “consider further funding over the next few months”.
But most of the money has yet to arrive and aid workers say that washed-out roads, fallen trees and a shortage of boats have prevented them from getting tents, rice and drinking water to many survivors.
Officials in the affected areas - inhabited by fishermen and farmers – also say that lack of drinking water and medicine has caused outbreaks of diarrhoea.
“People here are resilient. However, the scale is such that it will take months for people to be able to return to their normal lives,” said Heather Blackwell, the Bangladesh head of Oxfam.
“It could take weeks before we know exactly how bad this cyclone was.” The disaster is now testing the limits of the emergency Government, which took power in January after months of political violence led to a state of emergency and the cancellation of elections.
The Government has promised to clean up the country’s notoriously corrupt and violent politics before organising new elections by December next year, but has been criticised for excessive use of force. Mr Ahmed said that about 3,000 soldiers, two cargo planes, twelve helicopters and ten ships were working to distribute aid.
Two American C130 transport aircraft and two US naval vessels are expected to join them, according to Henrietta Fore, the director of US Foreign Assistance and USAid.
“President Bush has asked me to inform you that both civilian and military assistance would come in the next days for the cyclone victims,” she told reporters on a visit to Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital. Washington has already pledged $2.1 million in emergency aid.
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Sir,
" Ajay, Bangalore, India " - You should be ASHAMED of yourself.
SC, London, United Kingdom
Asking for help is not beging at time such as hurricane and cyclone. Whoever wrote this head line should be ashamed of themselves. And rewrite with compassion. May God bless Bangladesh.
Jay, Houston, USA
The loss of life is always a sad thing but so is negligence and complacence on part of the Bangladesh government. Despite it being prone to these tropical storms the administrations there seems to wade from one disaster to another with no real preventive measures nor any mechanism to deal with such contingencies. The people of Bangladesh have to realize that International aid is no supplement to shoddy governance and poor planning on their part.
Prithvi, NY, USA
Ajay
For god sake people are suffering so much for the cyclone SIDR disaster and looking forward to the donating country to help them. How does this terrorism issue come in your mind at this point? Open your mind and stop this stereotype thoughts coming into you mind. Donate some if you can instead of being Jealous.
russell, Atlanta, USA
First of all, I will disagree with Ajay from Bangalore, India. Bangladeshi people never been accused of activist neither they do. Show me the evidence if you have any? Only one problem we have is our political leaders are corrupted.
Bangladeshi people are unlucky due to the geographical position of Bangladesh. It is not the time to argue. It is the time to help the calamitous people. So my pledge to all the countries of the world and Bangladeshiâs who live abroad please help the grievous people as much as you can. Even a dollar can bring smile and hope into them.
Mirza Nazimuddin, St.Cloud, MN
The international community , especially the neighbour India should take a frontline role in providing help to the people who are affected by the cyclone in Bangladesh.
I condemn any derogatory comments from any one about the people in Bangladesh. Indians and Bangladeshis are the same people, we are brothers divided by a political border. And unfortunately we have one thing in common , corrupt and stupid and selfish so called political leaders, And they come in all colors. If any one who will steal money from cyclone relief it will be them.
Roy, Trivandrum, india
LOVE FOR SIDR:
SATHEE, a 29years girl gave birth to a boy inside the cyclone shelter while cyclone 'SIDR' was destroying everything outside that night at Mongla. Japanee's journalist Teko Kato named the boy 'SIDR'. This SIDR-not destroys but gives hope and aspiration to rebuild.
SO, WE WILL NOT STOP.
SIDR MAKES US DARE TO DREAM.
AND LET'S START BUILDING THE NEW GENERATION AND CLEAN THE DEATH VALLEY
Aqif, Dhaka, Bangladesh
First of all, I will disagree with Ajay from Bangalore, India. Bangladeshi people never been accused of activist neither they do. Show me the evidence if you have any? Only one problem we have is our political leaders are corrupted.
Bangladeshi people are unlucky due to the geographical position of Bangladesh. It is not the time to argue. It is the time to help the calamitous people. So my pledge to all the countries of the world and Bangladeshiâs who live abroad please help the grievous people as much as you can. Even a dollar can bring smile and hope into them.
Mirza Nazimuddin, St.Cloud, MN
Bangladesh is now a hotbed of international islamic terrorism along with pakistan.So care should be taken that the relief funds for the cyclone victims reaches them and is not diverted or hijacked to fund terrorist causes,like it happened with the funds for the victims of 2005 earthquake in pakistan.
ajay , bangalore, india
I think, the rich country should ti increase their aids in Bangladesh for the disasters people here. USA & UN Should take innitiatives for aids, specially Foods, Fresh Water, Medical Facility with Medicines, Winter Cloths, Shelter supporting etc. But rich countries spend their money for war to kill peoples, kill humanity & country, why ? Can they spend some money for hungry people, for humanity. In our country now those peoples has no food to eat, no cloths to wear in this cool weather, no house to live-they live under tree.
Rich country can do something ?
Faizul Piyas, Dhaka, Bangladesh
i think world should do something,,mainly industrial countries,,,,,they should do more. its not their fault,,these people are just unlucky coz Bangladesh is located is such a geographical location where natural disaster too common
TRIDIB, LONDON,
i think this disaster among the fellow people in bangladesh was horrible. I feel terrible for what had happend.Many people had lost there homes and to imagine where they live now? This is a very sad cause and I am sorry for what had happend even though i could not prevent it. If there is anything i could ever do to help i would be glady. I am also very sorry for the many people who had lost there family. It's devistating! I am very sorry!
Jessica, Williamstown,