The UN has come up with a proposal for a help plea worldwide against the backdrop of the government's decision not to make such an appeal by itself.

The British government yesterday announced to provide Tk 110 crore (10 million pound sterling) in aid for flood-hit people while the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) approved an emergency grant of nearly Tk 1.20 crore ($200,000).

"Bangladesh is experiencing severe monsoon flooding, the worst since the 1998 floods. The UK is concerned about the deteriorating flood situation in Bangladesh and stands ready to assist, in support of the effective systems rapidly mobilised by government, to reduce the impact of the floods on those affected," read the announcement from the British High Commission yesterday.

The resident mission of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) meanwhile has formed a unit to closely monitor the flood situation in consultation with government agencies and key development partners active in Bangladesh and enhance ADB's readiness to react to any urgent disaster rehabilitation needs that may arise. The ADB provided substantial assistance to Bangladesh during previous major floods.

A three-member UN team led by Larry Maramis, acting resident co-ordinator in Bangladesh, yesterday met Food and Disaster Management Minister Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf to know if the government has any objection to an international appeal by the United Nations.

"We have no objection to allow UN to make such an appeal to the international community," Kamal told journalists after the meeting.

He said the government would also welcome if any international organisation wants to conduct relief and rehabilitation work for the flood victims.

But he wanted to see the draft of UN appeal before it is circulated across the globe. The delegation will prepare the draft and submit it to the minister today, sources said.

"It would take at least ten days to finally make such an appeal worldwide by the United Nations because such proposals should have to be endorsed by all UN bodies, " said Dilruba Haider, assistant resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme in Bangladesh and a member of the delegation.

The government has stuck to its previous decision not to appeal for international help to cope with floods but planned to form a joint committee with top development partners for assessing the flood damage and seeking sector-wise post-flood rehabilitation loans from multi-lateral donors.

Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman already proposed this to ADB yesterday and will approach the other top donors.

"We will seek the help of multi-lateral donors for the post-flood rehabilitation programme. We will try not to take help from bilateral donors because they talk too much and offer little help," Saifur told the press at the Planning Ministry after his meeting with visiting ADB board of directors. The five-member ADB team, headed by Yusuf Anwar, will stay in Dhaka till July 29 and visit ADB projects.

"We will not seek foreign aid this time for relief. We will try to handle the relief requirements with our own resources," Saifur added.

UNDP representative Dilruba also termed the government's no-appeal stance 'quite respectable' and felt the situation was not yet to be declared as state of emergency.

However, the British assistance will be channelled through the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The WFP will coordinate the funds for food assistance and the UNDP for non-food assistance.