Dealing with flood: Chief adviser calls for utilising NGOs expertise

Interim government Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus yesterday emphasised utilising local knowledge and NGO expertise to efficiently manage the flood situation and post-flood activities.
“NGOs are a power of Bangladesh. We need to materialise the dream of the youth. We can do that. We need to tackle the flood together in a coordinated way,” Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam quoted Prof Yunus as saying.
Alam briefed reporters at state guesthouse Jamuna following a meeting between Prof Yunus and NGO representatives.
The meeting, which lasted about two hours, included NGOs collaborating with the government to address the ongoing flood crisis. Around 44 NGOs, including small and community-level organisations, were invited.
The press secretary said the meeting stressed the importance of coordination among all partners and discussed strategies for conducting rehabilitation and relief distribution efforts in a unified manner.
“We are impressed by how people have engaged with the same spirit we saw during the student movement,” Alam quoted Prof Yunus, also noting the remarkable relief distribution efforts at TSC, Dhaka.
The discussion also touched on post-flood challenges, including restoring telecom connectivity and electricity supply. Alam highlighted the vital role NGOs have consistently played in Bangladesh’s development, dating back to 1971.
Adviser Ali Imam Majumder, SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed, economist Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Executive Director of Manusher Jonno Foundation Shaheen Anam, Executive Director of Campaign for Popular Education Rasheda K Choudhury, ActionAid Bangladesh chief Farah Kabir, and Brac Executive Director Asif Saleh were among those present.  In response to a question from UNB, Asif Saleh stressed the need for mobilising international funds to address the flood situation.