Funding must through existing channel, within the frame of justice and reparation and without any involvement of IFI's

On 4th September 2008, Equity and Justice Working Group Bangladesh (equitybd) organized a press conference in Dhaka Reporters Unity and presented its position on the conference. They have read out a position paper, conduct question and answers on the issue with media professionals. To down load the English position paper please click here.

EquityBD mentioned that the Bangladesh strategy paper which going to be presented in the conference has been prepared in very little transparent and participatory way, and it has over bias to the activities related to consultancy and physical infrastructure. It is a paper of business as usual and while the matter is an aspects of total paradigm shift of development activities through re orientation and integration. Bangladesh needs a comprehensive strategy paper must be with a political ownership.

EquityBD placed specific demands as follows too, (i) there should not be any formation of body to channel the assistance, it should be through existing government and non government channels, (ii) there should not be any involvement of international financial institutions (IFI) in the funding management in any way, (iii) developed countries first compensate the damages of cyclone SIDR, which has happened during November 2007, and according to joint donor and government estimate which is around $ 3 billions, (iv) all assistance must be considered within the frame of justice and reparation, as developed countries are the major exploiter / polluter of global public goods (GPG), it should be additional to the already committed GNI 0.7 %. And all above (v) issue of immigration of environmental refugees should be also be discussed in the conference.

EquityBD convener has also participated in BBS Songlap (a BBC Bengali service program) which will be broadcast on radio on Saturday 7.30 pm and will be telecast in television channel Channel I on Monday 7.30 pm and in next Sunday 3.00 pm. There are media coverage of these events too. English media coverage of both two events are also available below.

Online Print Media Coverage of press conference :		Details
	Govt urged not to accept conditional fund	Daily Star Click
	Multi-donor trust fund against climate change oppose	New Nation Click
	Dhaka should ask for compensation, not aid	Daily Star Click

EquityBD also request solidarity from the members of civil society / NGOs, media especially who are working in UK,to circulate these opinions in public.