The UK government will provide a further five million pound (approximately Taka 70 crore) support for post-cyclone rebuilding work in Bangladesh, reports agency.

This is in addition to the 10 million pounds already provided for emergency relief efforts after the cyclone in November 2007, a DFID-UNDP press release said Thursday.

The additional five million pounds (about 10 million dollar) will support a US$ 42 million “Early Recovery Action Programme” being implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Bangladesh over the next eight months.

The UNDP programme will help 20,000 families through ‘core house’ reconstruction, which will fulfill basic housing requirements. Some 180,000 people will also be involved in small scale community infrastructure rehabilitation and cash grants to restart livelihoods and local economic activities in the worst affected villages.

The UK’s assistance to Bangladesh on early recovery after the cyclone is closely linked with the new British 30 million pounds support to Bangladesh on Climate Change Adaptation, which Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development, announced during his visit to Bangladesh in December 2007.

In response to the huge humanitarian needs in Bangladesh after cyclone Sidr in mid-November 2007, the UK Government provided 10 million pounds as initial support for the relief operations in the worst hit South-West region of the country. Currently some 200,000 families still need assistance with transitional shelter.

Those families and the villages they live in also require urgent early recovery assistance to rebuild their own livelihoods and their community. Tk 1.55b dev projects approved for DU(DC) The Ministry of Education has approved various development projects of Dhaka University worth about Taka 1.55 billion, reports agency.

Talking to this correspondent Thursday, DU Director of Planning and Development Zahirul Haque said DU got the approval for implementing a series of development projects on March 17. The ministry has already sent all the projects to the planning commission for final approval and release of money, he said.

Of the total amount, Taka 403.9 million will be spent for construction of a 10-storey residential hall for the male students and Taka 292.4 million for completion of a 10-storey twin hall for the female students on the campus.

Zahirul Haque said money to be spent for other approved development projects include Taka 286.2 million for a 12-story residential building for senior teachers and officials, Taka 102 million for constructing 3rd and 4th floors of the Mukarram Hossain Bhaban, Taka 22.8 million for building 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors of an extension building for 128 female students of Rokeya Hall and Taka 118.1 million for constructing another extension building for the Shahnewaz Hostel for 500 students.

Besides, he said, Taka 25 million will be spent for constructing a pre-engineered building for covered gymnasium, Taka 118.8 million for a 5-storey building with 10-storey foundation at TSC, Taka 2 million to buy computers for students, teachers and researchers and Taka 9.5 million to buy a generator as per the approval of the ministry.

The ministry also approved the projects involving Taka 17.5 million for extension of the DU Medical Centre, Taka 2.5 million for an ambulance, Tak 5 million for preparing a master plan of DU campus, Tk 1 rpt One million for miscellaneous expenses and Taka 140.7 million for cost escalation.

Zahirul Haque also said that the planning commission would approve the projects very soon as the Chief Adviser asked the authorities concerned to implement these development works as soon as possible. “These approved projects will be implemented within the next three years,” he said.

On the other hand, the DU authorities have already received Taka 67.5 million from the University Grants Commission (UGC) including Taka 25 million for students’ food, Taka 12.5 million to buy new vehicles and Taka 30 million for sports and entertainment.

The UGC recently approved two projects of Taka 300 million for equipment and Taka 150 million for repair and renovation works. Both the projects are now at the planning commission for final approval and release of money, Zahirul Haque said. He said the Dutch-Bangla Bank Ltd recently donated Taka 100 million for constructing a centre of excellence for the Arts and Social Sciences faculties.

The Japan government has given Taka 100 million to build another centre of excellence for the Science faculty, he added. Vice-chancellor of Dhaka University Professor SMA Faiz at a press briefing on the campus yesterday expressed his satisfaction over a series of development works taking place simultaneously on the campus.

“The government as well as the Chief Adviser are always very much sincere with providing help and assistance to the university,” he said. ICT can help alleviate poverty(DC) Agency Science, Information and Communication technology can help the country prosper along with alleviating poverty.

In the world, many countries have attained self-sufficiency during the last few decades through only development of the sector. Speakers made this observation while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the three-day ‘29th Science, Information and Communication Technology Fair’ on the Collegiate School premises in Rajshahi Thursday.

“We have no alternative to enrich the sector for taking the nation towards prosperity in all perspectives,” they said and called for giving due attention to establish a knowledge and science-based society. Prof Dr. Monzur Hossain of Botany Department of Rajshahi University, one of the pioneers in tissue culture research and innovation in the country, addressed the ceremony as the key- speaker.

He said the researches, which are being carried out in different sectors in the country, should be taken to the field level for their successful application. In this context, he also said due to lack of proper initiative many of the research findings could not be used for the nation’s benefit.

Deputy Commissioner Ibrahim Khalil, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Education and Development) Satyandra Kumar Sarker and headmaster of the school Nurjahan Begum also addressed the session, among others. Various educational institutions and science clubs have set up 24 stalls projecting different types of small-scale scientific innovations in the fair.

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