The interim government chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus on Saturday discussed with the representatives of the non-government organisations on formation of a mechanism for the NGOs to work in coordinated way with the government amid the ongoing flood crisis.
After a meeting, BRAC Bangladesh executive director Asif Saleh told the media that the chief adviser had asked them about how the NGOs could work with the government to conduct relief and rehabilitation work in the flood crisis.
鈥楾he chief adviser tasked us with holding meeting the government officials to work out the details,鈥� he said.
Quoting professor Yunus, his press secretary Shafiqul Alam said that NGOs are a power of Bangladesh while the government need to tackle the flood and the post-flood crisis together in a coordinated way.
Both briefed the reporters in front of the state guesthouse Jamuna following a meeting between the chief adviser and the representatives of 44 NGOs.
Asif Saleh said that the chief adviser wanted to know from them that what the immediate priorities should be on the field now.
鈥楩rom NGO sector we said that big work should be coordination 鈥� particularly at national and district levels to distribute relief properly,鈥� he said.
He also said that currently the government, Bangladesh Army, NGOs and volunteers were working while matter of discussion was how these actors could work together.
Discussion was held on some ideas including that the relief work could be divided into zones to work more specifically, a common ground for coordination among the government, army, NGOs and on ways to mobilise fund, he said.
Asif said that for relief and rehabilitation, a huge amount of money is required.
If the government, NGO sector and others work together through a joint response plan then all these works would be very coordinated, he said.
Replying to a question, he said that the immediate response is rescue mission for which coordination is necessary in preparing needs assessment.
鈥楢fter the preparation of needs assessment, the adviser will call the donors and then a joint response plan will be prepared,鈥� he said and added that it would be fixed that how the fund would be mobilised as per the plan.
Replying to a question that why NGOs were asked to join the relief and response work, Shafiqul Alam said that the NGOs always had a vital role during all floods and in reconstruction of Bangladesh since 1971.