UNDP, IOM laud Bangladesh’s effort in tackling Covid-19

BSS, Dhaka :
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) have praised the endeavor of Bangladesh government to tackle Covid-19 pandemic.
The appreciation came at a virtual event titled “Including Migrants and Communications in the Socio-Economic Recovery: Experience from the IOM-UNDP Partnership on the Covid-19” organized by UNDP, a press release said here on Friday.
During the event, Md Mohsin, secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief mentioned that the Bangladesh government has provided humanitarian assistance to 7 crore people giving cash and food amid the pandemic.
The government has handed over incentives to country’s small entrepreneurs, he said, adding that a plan was also adopted to rehabilitate the homeless people by constructing 8 lakh 84 thousand disaster resistant houses and implementation of this plan is ongoing.
He further said that under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has been able to reap the benefits of development in the last decade and maintain GDP growth at about 7.5 percent.
Bangladesh managed to achieve 5.24 percent growth in the last fiscal year even during the global epidemic, he informed.
The Bangladesh government last year formulated a National Strategy on Disaster Management and Climate-Based Internal Displacement and the finalization of that action plan is underway, the release said.
UNDP representative David Khoudour praised the strategy of the Government of Bangladesh, it added.
IOM director general Antonio Vitorino commended the piloting of the method used to determine the destination of displaced people during the covid-19 in Kurigram district and other areas as well.
He added that the pilot displacement tracking system, a joint venture between IOM and UNDP, would help determine the movements of displaced people and their needs.
UNDP chief Achim Steiner, former president of Kyrgyzstan Rosa Otunbaeva and UNDP resident representative to Lesotho Betty Wabunoha also joined the virtual event.