Bangladesh pledges $1 million aid for US

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7598_1482845,000500020001.htm

Bangladesh, one of the world's poorest countries, has pledged to donate $1 million (euro797,830) for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday.

Prime Minister Khaleda Zia declared that the assistance to the United States from Bangladesh was a "token of goodwill and sympathy for the victims," according to spokesman Zahirul Haque. Bangladesh has also offered the services of trained rescuers and disaster experts, Haque said.

When the neediest amongst nations gives twice as much as one of the wealthiest (the gov't of Japan pledged goods and services amounting to about 500,000 dollars) to the most powerful, you know the world is truly upside-down--but I am not complaining!

The kindness and generosity towards the victims coming from both the impoverished peoples of the U.S. and the world is heartwarming!

They know what this is like - I can see why this was their response.

:cry:

http://www.weathernotebook.org/transcripts/2002/07/09.php

Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world with over 131 million people living on land that is smaller than the state of Iowa. Most residents live in the coastal areas. Atiq Rahaman, chair of Climate Action Network, South Asia.

AR: With a one meter in rise, about 20 percent of the coastal radius, 70 percent of the countries population will be displaced and inundated. Now, that is serious impact.

That means nearly fifty cities underwater and millions of residents displaced. Resettling so many people would be difficult. Building dykes, as in the Netherlands, could be one mitigation method. But, Rahaman says prohibitive costs and extreme weather in Bangladesh could make such a plan impossible.

You know, after 9/11 every demonstration overseas with candles and mourning was sincere and genuine. We were offered nothing but honest hearts.

Now, they're giving money and I feel like they are laughing themselves sick while they do it.

I hate to say this but this actually made me laugh. Wow we get aid from Bagladesh now huh?

That headline would have been written off as "off-beat humour" a few
years ago ... now the joke is, umm, elsewhere?

"Team America, f*ck yeah!"

To think that a country that needs it so badly would be kind enough to offer.

That really makes me hurt to think what our country has come to- all this money into Iraq and we can't take care of our own people.

poor. God/Allah bless you, Bangladesh.

Rather than let Canada send resources, he decided to stand on the "rugged individualism" meme and let people starve.

powerful country in the world" and yet countries like Bangladesh are offering aid money (which is nice of them, don't get me wrong) because our own fucking government can't or won't properly address this disaster.

Funny how we can always come up with tens of billions for the goddamn quagmire in Iraq though.

Anybody know?

It is a lovely gesture. :-) However, they are a really poor country and money should not be transferred to our country from them for this. We should accept and then send the money right back.

we cannot really accept their money. It is just so frustrating to know that our own Fed cannot be relied on to provide anything near adequate relief for the victims of this disaster.

1) You need the money (well, New Orleans citizens need the money)
2) If it did get returned, you just *know* it would be reported as
a "million dollar handout to a Third World nation".

Mind you, maybe that's how it's being reported now ...?
:evilgrin:

Because believe me - next flood you have and we'll barely give you a piddliance of money to help out those who are affected. But that's only because our government sucks. Let's hope your next major flood happens with a democrat in the White House or better yet - let's hope it doesn't happen at all!

Thank you Bangladesh.

Its not Bu$hco that they see, its the American citizens that are in crisis.

Bye, bye RETHUGLICANS!

I'm guessing that this donation is MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL than we might expect.

That poor country really can't afford it! I say tell Ken Ley or one of Shrub's other rich buddies to offer the Million in place of such a poor country's generosity!

It strikes me as a potential insult if we snub this incredibly generous gift of aid.

I think it would be better to accept the gift and apply it immediately, and thereafter to repay it several times over as grants to Bangladesh.

The generosity of such a historically impoverished nation is truly humbling.

Thank you, Bangladesh!

as when poor countries such of this are offering to send us aid because our worthless government isn't up to the task of taking care of people in our own country.

I hope Dick enjoys his new mansion, Condi loves her new shoes, and John McCain's birthday cake was damn good because those people sold thier souls for those worldly goods and good times.

That poor country really can't afford it! I say tell Ken Ley or one of Shrub's other rich buddies to offer the Million in place of such a poor country's generosity!

Sounds like the global community sees us for exactly what we are now, as opposed to the glory days of yore.

felt, unlike the empty souls that run our country. PEACE!

While I realize the people who want to refuse the gift or give it back are well-meaning, I think it's important not to be patronizing or tell Bangladeshis what's best for them. It's not for us to say what Bangladesh can or cannot afford. It's not a child that needs us to look out for it; it's a real country with a real government, run by adults.

The Bangladesh government, which has an annual budget of over $8 billion, has decided it can chip in $1 million (or just over 0.01%) for the common good. Excellent. We should just thank them for their generosity. Bangladesh doesn't always have to play the victim or the one in need; sometimes they get to be on the rescue team.

they have seen on TV what we have seen and are appalled - I think it is a very sweet, humane gesture.

"This is working very well for them."

When one of poorest countries in the world has to send financial aid to the US.

Thank you Bangladesh.

But it is bad enough that the majority our own money will end up in the pockets of the Bush cronies and not for victim relief. Take care of your own. 50% of our population got us into this mess, now the other 50% will have to get us out of it.

Richard Nixon upon the creation of the new state of Bangladesh, none of those "unpleasant" liberation sagas sneered about helping it out, calling it a "basket case" because of it being a massive overly populated and poverty stricken flood plain.

A basket case, his exact words.

Who is the basket case now with a nation ruled by incompetent, savagely ruthless frauds magnifying human suffering in this country like some plague out of hell?

Why are these people allowed even by their "allies" to still squat in their offices?