The European Union is providing 2 million euro (Tk 17.4 crore) in humanitarian aid funding to deliver relief assistance to people affected by tropical storm Roanu, which caused damage and destruction in the southern parts of the country last month.
This aid will be channelled through the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO), which will enable the Commission’s humanitarian partners to implement emergency assistance programmes to respond to the most pressing needs including the provision of shelters, clean water, access to good hygiene practices, non-food relief items as well as food and livelihood assistance, said a EU press release yesterday.
The EU funding allocated for Bangladesh is part of a larger regional humanitarian response to Tropical Storm Roanu which also covers Sri Lanka.
“This EU contribution underlines our commitment to the people of Bangladesh who have lost their homes, their belongings and their sources of income in the wake of Tropical Storm Roanu”, said a press release quoting Christos Stylianides, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management.
“It will enable the delivery of life-saving humanitarian aid to the most affected populations, helping them restore their livelihoods at the earliest possible,” said the Commissioner.
The powerful tropical system, which struck southern Bangladesh in mid-May affected people in 18 districts along its path, according to the Bangladesh Department of Disaster Management.
Results of a recent coordinated needs assessment indicated that close to 24 000 homes were flattened by the storm, while more than 215 000 people were displaced in seven worst-hit districts of Barguna, Bhola, Chittagong, Cox Bazar, Lakshmipur, Noakhali and Pathukhali.