High Commission of India, Dhaka
November 19, 2007
PRESS RELEASE
____________________The External Affairs Minister of India, H.E. Mr Pranab Mukherjee, spoke to the Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser, Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, late evening on 18 th November, 2007 and conveyed India 's readiness to send relief supplies to supplement the efforts of the Government of Bangladesh, in meeting the challenge of relief and rehabilitation of the Cyclone affected people.
2. The Government of India has decided to respond immediately with a comprehensive relief package of US $ 1 million (Taka 6.8 Crores). This package will consist of relief material required urgently by those affected, including medicine, food items, tents and blankets, first-aid kits and other relief items.
3. The Government of India has also acceded to the request of the Government of Bangladesh for waiving the ban on the export of rice to enable Bangladesh to procure 50,000 tons of rice from India , immediately.
4. The External Affairs Minister also made a suo motu statement on this issue in India 's Parliament on 19-11-2007 , a copy of which is attached.
Statement of H.E. Shri Pranab Mukherjee, External Affairs Minister in Indian Parliament on 19-11-2007I rise to inform the House about the recent cyclone and the devastation it has caused in neighbouring Bangladesh .
As Honourable Members would be aware, a severe cyclone hit Bangladesh , especially its coastal districts, on 15 th November causing in its wake death and devastation. More than 2300 are reported dead as of now and several thousands rendered homeless. An estimated 2.7 million people have also been affected, thousands of livestock killed and standing crops and infrastructure severely damaged.
Rashtrapathiji and Prime Minister have written to their counterparts in Bangladesh expressing our distress at this tragedy and conveying our deep condolences and our readiness to assist in the relief efforts. Yesterday, I have spoken to Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Foreign Adviser to the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh and mentioned to him our readiness to send relief supplies to supplement the efforts of the Government of Bangladesh.
As Bangladesh struggles to come to terms with this devastation, in keeping with our close ties and our empathy with the friendly people of Bangladesh in this hour of need, the Government of India has decided to respond immediately with a comprehensive relief package. Our offer will consist of relief material required urgently by those affected. This package will consist of medicine, food items, milk powder, tents and blankets, first-aid kits and other relief items.
The Honourable Members will recollect that India has always responded readily to such requests from Bangladesh earlier, the most recent one being a few months ago when considerable devastation was caused by mudslides during the monsoons. We are already in the process of supplying essential food items to Bangladesh . We will continue to extend whatever assistance we can this time as well.
November 19, 2007