Govt to facilitate NGOs' post-Sidr rehab work

Dhaka, Dec 6 (bdpremnews.tk) – The government Thursday sat with major NGOs to help run post-cyclone rehabilitation programmes in the Sidr-battered areas, officials said. Agriculture, fisheries and livestock, and environment and forest ministries will coordinate the programmes to add speed to rehabilitation work, an official with the environment ministry told bdprem. Your Ad Here The major NGOs that sat with government officials Thursday include BRAC, Proshika and ASA, which will work "independently" in different upazilas. "The government will coordinate, but not control as the NGOs will lead the way," the official said. Adviser CS Karim, who is in charge of the three ministries, presided over the coordination meeting. M Anwarul Huq, director of public affairs and communications for BRAC, told bdnews24.com that his organisation would be responsible for rehabilitation work in four upazilas. They are Morelganj in Bagerhat, Mathbaria in Pirojpur, Betagi in Barguna and Kalapara in Patuakhali. Huq said: "The programmes will be comprehensive and include distribution of seeds, fertiliser and power pumps among farmers." "We are also considering the possibility of disbursing crop loans among the farmers," he said.