High Commission of India, Dhaka
November 23, 2007
PRESS RELEASE
____________________The Government of India is continuing Operation Sahayata by providing relief material to people of Bangladesh to enable them to recover from Cyclone “Sidr”. The relief material consists of ready-to-eat food packets, water filters, medicines and tents, which are being airlifted to Bangladesh in three large sized IL–76 aircrafts. The first IL–76 aircraft reached Dhaka on November 22, 2007. The second IL -76 aircraft landed at the Zia International Airport at 12.35 pm on November 23, 2007. The third consignment relief shall be carried by an IL-76 aircraft on November 24, 2007.
The aircraft which landed on 23 rd November carried total relief of 39.5 tonnes, which included 21.5 tonnes of Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) (1680 packets), with each package weighing 1.9 kgs. and containing (rice, suji halwa, dal, chapattis, tea rations, including milk & sugar, hexamine tablets for heating and a small cooker); 0.5 tonnes of water filters (42 packets); 1 tonne of medicines ( 50 packets containing antibiotics, syrups, pain killers, anti-histamines, anti-vomiting, anti-diabetic, antacids, anti-tetanus medicines and antidote for snake venom. Medical equipment such as thermometers and stethoscopes, as well as dressing is included) and 16.5 tonnes of tents (900 packets).
India stands ready to assist Bangladesh in its crisis and assist its people to resume their normal lives as soon as possible.
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November 23, 2007