Govt needs financial assistance from its development partners
We appreciate the World Food Programme (WFP) issuing an urgent call for USD 320 million to provide food and financial assistance to the most vulnerable families in Bangladesh during this pandemic. According to the UN, of the amount, the WFP will need USD 200 million for its Covid-19 response in Bangladesh and with the remaining USD 120 million, it will help the Rohingya refugees for the next six months. The organisation has also warned that Covid-19 may reverse the development gains made by Bangladesh in the last 50 years—a reality that Bangladesh must face courageously and prudently.
As the Covid-19 outbreak in the country has entered its third month with an alarming rise in the number of infections and deaths, the government has extended the ongoing shutdown till May 30. Although businesses and markets have reopened in a limited capacity, it has not helped the poor wage earners, who have been living in extreme poverty since the beginning of the shutdown on March 26. Millions of people across the country are now unable to meet their basic needs due to the lockdown and restrictions on movement. They are now completely dependent on the government and other aid and voluntary organisations’ assistance to survive.
We think the government has been doing a good job in providing the necessary assistance to the poor through its relief operations and cash incentives, despite there being some irregularities in the process. It has started providing cash assistance to 50 lakh poor families and has also provided assistance to the businesses and the farmers through special stimulus packages. However, for a country like Bangladesh with a large number of its population living in poverty and extreme poverty, it is not possible to handle the situation resulting from the pandemic on its own.
Bangladesh needs urgent financial assistance from its development partners to cope with the economic impacts of Covid-19. The WFP and other UN agencies have already been assisting Bangladesh in this regard. If the WFP gets the necessary fund, it can help ensure food security for families in rural areas and urban slums. Funds are also needed to ensure healthcare services and safe living conditions for the Rohingyas since a number of Rohingyas have been reported to be infected with coronavirus recently. As time is of the essence we hope Bangladesh’s development partners will respond promptly to provide the necessary assistance to help the country cope with the impacts of Covid-19.
