23.05.2011, Jeddah, KSA – President of the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank Group, Dr Ahmad Mohamed Ali, flew in to Dhaka, Bangladesh, to witness the signing of an agreement to finance shelter, water supply and sanitation projects in the cyclone Sidr-affected areas under IDB’s US$130 million philanthropic “Fael Khair” Program. The donation of US$ 130million was made to IDB by an anonymous philanthropist to support the victims of cyclone Sidr which hit the coastal areas of Bangladesh in 2007. The cyclone killed thousands and rendered millions homeless. The current agreement is expected to provide water supply and sanitation facilities in cyclone afflicted areas.
The President will visit Sidr-affected Sharankhola upazila in Bagerhat District to lay the foundation stone of a school-cum cyclone shelter to be implemented under the $130 million grant. He will also visit some successful agro-input program beneficiaries. Of the total grant, US$ 110 million will be spent for constructing around 440 cyclone shelters-cum-primary schools. The remaining amount is expected to be spent for the rehabilitation of agriculture and fisheries in the cyclone--damaged areas.
During the visit, the IDB President will also witness the signing of another historic agreement with the Government of Bangladesh for the construction of US$ 1.5 billion Padma Multipurpose Bridge project under a co-financing program for which the IDB is contributing US$ 140 million.