Bangladesh Needs Massive Food Aid

[G_j]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4381255,00.html

Bangladesh Needs Massive Food Aid

Tuesday August 3, 2004 1:46 PM

By FARID HOSSAIN

Associated Press Writer

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) - Bangladesh will need food aid for 20 million people - or one-seventh of its population - over the next five months because of massive flooding that has destroyed crops, the country's disaster minister said Tuesday.

The worst monsoon rains and flooding in six years have covered 60 percent of this nation of 140 million since June, destroying crops and jobs, said Food and Disaster Management Minister Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusouf.

``We are getting international assistance in addition to our own food stocks,'' he said. ``No one will die from starvation.''

The floods have disrupted Bangladesh's $4 billion textile industry, which earns nearly 80 percent of the country's export earnings. The overall flood damage could total $6.7 billion, officials have estimated.

..more..