Bangladesh Cyclone Appeal

The Northampton Bangladeshi Association (NBA) launched an appeal last Friday to help those affected by Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh, which latest reports estimate has left nearly 4,000 dead in its wake.

The appeal, in partnership with the Northamptonshire Muslim Council (NMC), Nooria Mission UK, Bedford Bangladeshi Islamic Mission, Bedford Jame Mosque, Islah-Ul-Muslimin Wellingborough and Al-Jamaat-Ul-Muslimin of Bangladesh, is seeking both financial help for the victims as well as for your unwanted clothing and blankets. Cargo containers have been organised to transport the thousands of clothing items, blankets and tents that have already been received since yesterday.

The Bangladesh Army, who have been leading the relief effort since Cyclone Sidr hit southern Bangladesh, will help distribute the items raised in this appeal. The chief of Bangladesh Army, General Moeen U Ahmed has offered his personal reassurances to me that any funds raised in this appeal will be distributed directly by the same team in the same way they helped to get the £25,000 raised by the NBA for the flood victims two months ago and which I personally witnessed.

You are requested to participate in this appeal and donate a fraction of your hard-earned money to this much needed cause.

Those living in the Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire area are requested to taken their unwanted clothes and blankets to their local Mosques and community centers. Mosques are also collecting money for this appeal.

The number of people left dead after the powerful cyclone that swept through Bangladesh last week rose Monday to nearly 4,000 according to government officials I have spoken to today. The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, the Islamic equivalent of the Red Cross, said that figure could climb to 10,000 once rescuers reach all of the storm-affected areas.
The UN estimates that more than a million people are homeless with many thousands in remote areas still without food supplies.

Thousands of others remain stranded in remote areas after Cyclone Sidr tore down power lines and ripped up roads with winds that reached 250 km/h as they whipped through the Bay of Bengal.

Armed forces have been deployed to help disaster relief workers move in and out of the damage zones. Tens of thousands of volunteers are scouring through the wreckage, discovering more dead bodies and survivors struggling to find food. The aid needed now is at its most basic: shelter, water and food.

Donations can be made in the following ways:

By post:
Northampton Bangladeshi Association
Gateway Resource Centre
Mill Road
Northampton NN2 6AX

By telephone:
01604 624930/07909 843536

At the bank:
Allied Irish Bank (GB)
Account Name: nba relief fund
Sort Code: 23-85-87
Account Number: 00287216