The International Monetary Fund (IMF)executive board approved about 217.7 million U.S. dollars in emergency assistance for Bangladesh, according to an IMF release issued from Washington on April 2 and reached here on Thursday.
The move is to assist the Bangladeshi government's efforts to deal with the impact of severe damage from cyclone Sidr that battered the country on Nov. 15 last year.
IMF says cyclone Sidr and two preceding floods last year resulted in thousands of deaths and disrupted the lives of millions of people in Bangladesh.
Total damage, mainly to agriculture, housing and infrastructure, is estimated at 2.7 billion dollars, or 3.7 percent of Bangladesh's GDP.
At the conclusion of the Executive Board's discussion on Bangladesh, Takatoshi Kato, deputy managing director and acting chair, said: "We extend our deepest sympathy to the people of Bangladesh."
"The destruction, suffering, and loss of life caused by the floods of July-September and the cyclone of Nov. 15 last year were devastating. It will take years to repair the physical damage, while the human loss is irretrievable," he added.
Source:Xinhua
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