High Commission of India, Dhaka
November 29, 2007
PRESS RELEASE
____________________Press release on Statement by Ministry of External Affairs official Spokesperson on Bangladesh on 28 Nov 2007
External Affairs Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee will be visiting Bangladesh on December 1, 2007 to convey the solidarity of the people of India with the people of Bangladesh in their hour of need. This is in the aftermath of the severe cyclone in Bangladesh on November 15, 2007, which had caused heavy loss of lives and widespread destruction in coastal areas.
2. During his visit to Bangladesh , External Affairs Minister will be meeting Chief Advisor H.E. Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and Foreign Advisor H.E. Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury. He would also be surveying some cyclone affected areas and meet a cross-section of people to apprise himself about the ongoing relief efforts in the affected areas.
3. In keeping with India's close ties and empathy with the friendly people of Bangladesh, over the last few days India has been expeditiously delivering relief materials to Bangladesh consisting of medicines, tents, blankets, ready-to-eat meals and portable water-purifiers through Indian Air Force transport aircraft IL-76. The last consignment would be reaching Dhaka on 1 December, when EAM is expected to symbolically hand over the consignment to the Bangladesh authorities.
4. As announced by External Affairs Minister earlier, India is also sending essential food items as food aid including rice, wheat and milk powder to Bangladesh of a total value of nearly 100 crores. Delivery of these items is being expedited. It will be recollected that one such consignment consisting of more than 9000 metric tonnes of rice reached Chittagong ( Bangladesh ) during the Ramadan. Earlier, following torrential rains which caused mudslides in Chittagong in June 2007, India had also extended US $ 10 million cash assistance to Bangladesh .
5. In a special dispensation, India has also waived the current ban on export of rice with respect to Bangladesh allowing it to import 50,000 metric tonnes of rice from India .
29 Nov, 2007