Report on the fund received from ESSF
Bangladesh Krishok Federation (BKF) and Bangladesh Kishani Sabha (BKS) last year operated different projects which were supported by ESSF through its fund raising campaign measure.
The amount of fund received from ESSF is 7,160 Euros that arrived to us on 24 October 2014 via bank transfer. In BDT it is around (7,160X93=) Tk.665,880/-. The rate of Euro is Tk. 93 against one Euro.
One-third of the amount (Tk.221,960/-) was used for the South Asian caravan that took place on 10-24 November 2014 in Bangladesh-India-Nepal. Another one-third was spent for the Rana Plaza building collapse affected garment workers providing with sewing machining in an aim to bring in regular earnings for their families. The last one-third was spent to the flood affected people in the northern part of Bangladesh with a view to bringing temporary relief in the families.
The Caravan on Climate Justice, Gender, and Food Sovereignty was the major project for which funding was collected in different sources by BKF and BKS. The contribution of ESSF was added to the whole funding efforts around the caravan. The funding support of ESSF which has been used for the caravan has gone mainly to the food supply for the caravan participates as because we received less funding for the food budget than we actually needed. Amount allocated for the caravan from ESSF covered the meal of 160 participants for 4 days out of 18 days. The total cost for this purpose is (Pers.160XTk.115X3mealsX4days=) Tk. 220,800/-. The rest of the amount (221,960/-220,800/-=)Tk1,160/- has been spent for miscellaneous cost like the carrying cost, etc.
See in particular the day-to-day presentation of the caravan (PDF), ESSF (article 44457), Climate & Peasant’s Rights: A chronological description on South Asian Climate Justice Caravan in Bangladesh-India-Nepal 2014 :
http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article44457
Rana Plaza victimes. 40 sewing machining, each of which costs Tk. 5,500/-, have been distributed among selected 40 worst affected woman laborers in Rana Plaza building collapse in April 2013. The total cost is (40X5,500/-=)Tk.220,000/-. The remaining (221,960/-22,000/-=) Tk.1,960/- has been spent for the carrying cost of the sewing machining. Those who received the machines found the way of survival now. They got frustrated about their livings after the incident. After having a sewing machine their confidence level is on the increase in the midst of horrible memory of the incident which they still bear.
Distribution sewing machins to families Rana Plaza victims
Flood affected people. Tk. 221,960/- has been distributed among the flood affected people in Bhurungamari and Nageshwary sub-districts in Kurigram. Sudden flood engulfed the upstream areas of the country last year in August-September 2014. Thousands of people suffered a lot from the flood. The areas inundated mostly belonged to the members of Bangladesh Krishok Federation and Kishani Sabha. Quite a number of them are landless occupants who took over the railway abandoned land in 2004 through a massive struggle. The flush flood washed their all belongings and standing crops also. They were given away cash money for the purchase of their daily essentials like rice, pulses, onion, garlic, salt, oil, etc. 352 people benefited from the fund allocated. Each victim was provided with Tk.630/-. The total cost for this stands at (630/-X352)=Tk.221760/-. The reaming Tk.200/- has spent as incidental cost like, transport, etc. The landless members of the organizations realized that the organizations are very responsible during their suffering. With all limitation the organizations tried to stand by the members in their crucial period.
Both Bangladesh Krishok Federation and Bangladesh Kishani Sabha are thankful to ESSF for its untying efforts to mobilize the support for the helpless and economically challenged Bangladeshi people who are fighting for their right and existence and social change.
In conclusion, we would like to mention that the ordinary people in Bangladesh are struggling for radical change in society in different ways. They solve many adversities on their own ways. Nonetheless, they sometimes face very crucial moment when they need support in addition to their own efforts. We consider it very rationale and extend our helping hand as much as possible. As part of that thinking we started a further campaign recently titled “One Blanket for Saving One Life” from the unusual chilly cold wave that Bangladesh is facing at this moment. Hope ESSF will contribute to this campaign as before.
Dated 11 January 2015
ASM Badrul Alam
President
Bangladesh Krishok Federation
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ESSF
2, rue Richard-Lenoir
93100 Montreuil
France
Bank Account:
Crédit lyonnais
Agence de la Croix-de-Chavaux (00525)
10 boulevard Chanzy
93100 Montreuil
France
ESSF, account number 445757C
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IBAN : FR85 3000 2005 2500 0044 5757 C12
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Account holder : ESSF
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