MKA defends rejection of foreign aid

The government rejected foreign aid for Savar rescue operation as they had proposed to send nothing but expert manpower, said Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir yesterday.
“We have enough manpower to conduct the rescue operation and our requirement was rescue equipment," the minister told journalists at a prize giving ceremony of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in the capital.
Terming the Savar rescue operation successful, he said local rescuers had completed the operation within the quickest possible time and with a minimum loss of lives.
Meanwhile, State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku praised BGB in the prize giving ceremony for protecting the borders, preventing smuggling and human and drug trafficking as well as for their assistance to maintain law and order.
The award ceremony started at Bir Uttam Fazlur Rahman Khandaker auditorium in Pilkhana with a one-minute silence in honour of the people killed and injured in Savar building collapse.
A total of 120 BGB members were awarded with four categories of Padak (Medal) for their heroic performance.
Of them, 30 BGB men got the Border Guard Bangladesh Padak, 2010-12 while 60 others were awarded with the President Border Guard Padak, 2010-12, 10 with the Border Guard Bangladesh (Seba) Padak, 2012 and 20 others with the President Border Guard (Seba) Padak, 2012.
Director General of BGB Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed, and Senior Secretary to home ministry CQK Mustak Ahmed also spoke at the ceremony.