Donors pledge over $142m so far

The government has so far received assurance of foreign assistance of over $142 million for the cyclone-affected people.
Saudi Arabia alone is providing $100 million while Japan, United Nations, Britain, Unicef, World Food Programme (WFP), the United States, India, China, Australia, and Switzerland have assured of the rest.
Food and Disaster Management Adviser Tapan Chowdhury yesterday told reporters that Japanese Embassy will officially handover the first consignment of relief to Bangladesh officials today.
An aircraft carrying 466 boxes of Japanese relief aid including tents, blanket and tarpaulin is scheduled to land at the Zia International Airport at 8:30am today.
A US under secretary will arrive in Dhaka at 8:00am today and is expected to disclose the US government's relief assistance, Tapan said, adding that relief materials from the US will also come in a flight.
"The Saudi government has announced today a grant of $100 million in relief assistance for Bangladesh's cyclone victims," he said at a press briefing at the secretariat yesterday.
The Japanese government is providing relief grant worth $14 million, the UN $7 million, WFP $6 million, Britain $5 million, the Unicef $1.5 million, China$1million, India
$1million and Australia $160,000. The US has already assured of relief worth $2.1 million.
S ARABIA
The Saudi government has announced a grant of $ 100 million in relief assistance for the cyclone victims.
The government has also decided to send 300 tons of food and relief materials to Bangladesh by the middle of the next week.
Saudi Ambassador Abdullah AL Obaid Al Namla informed Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury of the grant and relief assistance announced by King Abdullah.
The Saudi envoy informed the foreign Advisor that the Saudi King had expressed his willingness to build an "air-bridge" of relief with Bangladesh.
JAPAN
Japan is providing emergency assistance of Tk 21,350,000 for Bangladesh's cyclone victims.
The emergency relief goods include 100 tents (for 6 people), 1000 blankets (regular), 100 blankets (heavy), 300 sleeping pads, 200 plastic sheets, 10 portable water tanks (2000 liter), 30 water purifiers, 300 portable water tanks and 30 power generators (220V).
INDIA
The government of India has decided to respond immediately with a comprehensive relief package of $1million.
The Indian government has also acceded to the request of the Bangladesh government for waiving the ban on the export of rice to enable Bangladesh to procure 50,000 tonnes of rice from India immediately.
Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee spoke to the Foreign Adviser
Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhurty yesterday evening and conveyed India's readiness To send relief supplies.
CHINA
The Chinese government has decided to donate $ 1 million of emergency assistance for relief and rehabilitation activities in the cyclone0hit areas of Bangladesh
The Red Cross Society of China will also donate $ 50,000 to Bangladesh Red Crescent Society.
SWISS GOVT
The government of Switzerland has provided 200,000 Swiss Francs ($160,000) in grant for relief materials for the cyclone-hit people of Bangladesh as an emergency response.
The relief materials wILLbe distributed through Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) and Swiss Red Cross (SRC) in 5 districts Bagerhat, Pirojpur, Patuakhali, Jhalakathi and Madaripur.
Around 7,800 families in the five districts will receive food, temporary shelter materials, kitchen sets and clothes. The relief operation is expected to start on Thursday.
More world leaders, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, German President Horst Kohler, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, and Italian President Dr Giorgio Napolitano have expressed deep shock at the loss of life and property by cyclone Sidr.
Meanwhile, relief materials worth Tk 12.5 crore have been allocated from the chief adviser's fund and Tk 1.5 crore from the food and disaster management ministry. Besides, Tk 36 crore has been allocated for the rehabilitation of the cyclone-affected people.
About 7,500 tonnes of rice have already been sent for distribution in the cyclone-hit localities. Besides, 5,110 tents, 17,262 blankets, 13,000 bundles of corrugated iron, 450 tonnes of dates and 1,200 tonnes of chickpeas have been distributed among the people in those areas.